The Rogue Stole my Necklace So I Stole his Heart
by valentine999
Summary: Gaara’s days as a reckless rogue are over after he meets a girl that he can’t get off his mind. And when he finds out who she really is he can't help but make her life hell, by teasing her and loving her. GaaraxOC.
1. Moonlit Encounters

Hullo- I am Valentine!

-Ever wondered what Gaara got up to before he became Kazekage? Well this is what happened in the mean time i.e. the best damn filler you're ever gonna see so pipe down!

-it begins half way into his journey…enjoy!

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The rogue sat on his lonesome, only the moon was his company that evening. The streets beneath him were busy, full of light and the excited chatter of city people. But none of it appealed to him; being atop a roof made him feel far from those people and he had never been close to any other person anyway. He sat slumped forwards, breathing in the slight scent on the air; the fragrance was swaying away from the flowers beneath him and as it rose up to him he felt a calm feeling of serenity by himself. He glanced up to the moon with a smile small; its beauty soothed him and its silver light bathed him. Yeah, this life was a hell of a lot better than his old one; making his own rules and his own path in life was an exhilarating freedom Gaara had never felt. Suddenly his contemplation and peace was interrupted by shouts below; Gaara looked angrily to see who had disturbed him and he saw, running through the streets of the town, a hooded figure chased by young shinobi. Gaara rolled his eyes; would he have to teach these kids a lesson too? He stood up wearily and many people pointed up to the silhouette stood on the roof. He pulled his hood over his head to hide his face and jumped. He landed lightly on the ground beneath him. Many shouts of alarm were thrown his way but he ignored them and there was a determined, intimidating way in which he walked that made people quiet and stays well away.

There had been rumours of a rogue running in these parts of the city. He'd been travelling the country and the trail of broken bones and, some had heard, broken hearts that he'd left behind had created him a name; what it was he didn't know, he hadn't heard yet but he knew he had some name. Gaara scoffed as many people were too terrified of his lone figure to even get a close look. Some girls however were braver than some; his brother had warned him that this benefit came with becoming a rogue but Gaara couldn't understand it. Back when he was a kid he'd been reckless with a thirst for violence, a rogue was the same thing wasn't it? And yet when he was younger no girl ever looked at him in that way, but now he knew his eyes had softened, perhaps that was what made these girls so tempted. None of it swayed him; girls were no prize, he'd travelled the country looking for decent opponents to crush, to gain new skills. And so far it had worked out well. Even though, every now and then, he had to sort out a few kid shinobi who couldn't handle themselves. He turned a corner and came into an alleyway; the group that had given chase didn't even acknowledge him but instead focused their attention on their prey.

"Give it here!" One, with what sounded like a bad cold, shouted to the hooded figure. Gaara leant against the wall of the alley; these kids were a few years younger than him and he wanted to watch for a while to see how intimidating they could be but it seemed their prey wasn't too impressed either.

"Yeah, it's ours!" Gaara had to appreciate the way their victim kept quiet; as though responding to them was beneath them, it added a nice, adult, touch.

"You know, you really should learn to say please." Gaara said quietly but his voice carried in the alley and the young shinobi turned to him instantly. They took in his figure; they could tell it was a man and for a moment they looked happy until Gaara took his fighting stance. They looked at each other nervously; evidently they though their victim would be now trouble, this was more than they could handle. "What, to scared to say anything back?" Gaara tried to look at the figure behind them; he could tell from the curves it was a girl. "Thanks for getting them to come here." He called to her and could've sworn, from the darkness of her hood, a small smile spread on her face.

"No problem," she replied and Gaara was surprised to find a rather deep and husky voice come from her. "Just thought it'd make it easier for you." Gaara smirked and spread his arms, getting ready to attack the kids and he could see the person, that the shinobi thought was his partner, retrieve a katana from her robe. The shinobi looked from one to another, trying to way up their options but it was clear they were still Genin.

"You!" Gaara commanded from the one closest, "what were you after?" There was something in his voice that made the child respond immediately.

"Sir, her necklace it was!" They shrieked and huddled together. At the sight of them cowering Gaara thought he'd had enough fun. He dropped his arms and pointed out of the alley. "Go." He said in what he thought was an adult voice, "NOW!" He added when they didn't move but they ran out of the alley in an instant. There was a moment of silence as the stranger put her katana away and Gaara tried to see her face but he didn't have to as she removed her hood. Gaara looked her up and down; there was no way she was a rogue like him, she looked to perfect. She was pretty and all, with dark hair and violet eyes, but by perfect he meant her hair was flawless as was her tanned skin. She looked like a doll someone dressed up everyday. He caught a glimpse of the necklace; pure gold, he could tell from here, with rubies and emeralds; no wonder the kids wanted it. Come to think of it, he'd been running low on money recently and he figured her necklace would fetch a fine price.

"Speak your name." She said and it surprised him that her voice wasn't deep and harsh like before but light and there was something almost aristocratic about the way she spoke. He looked her up and down once more, wondering if he could trust her, before he removed his hood as well. She saw her eyes look up to the mark on his forehead and she smirked but when his eyes caught hers they were so intense, of colour and feeling that she stopped smiling immediately. She'd heard of the attractiveness of rogues but had never anticipated this.

"Kaze." He said after a minute and she smiled; it meant wind, rogues usually went for names like this. She said and began to walk towards him, he found he was looking at the way her hips swayed when she walked before he blushed and looked back at her face. She stopped a few meters away from him.

"Your name?" He demanded and she blushed at his harsh tone.

"Ame." She said quickly, it meant rain; she'd just thought it up on the spot. "You know," she said quietly and walked towards him in a shy manner, "the wind and rain are usually spotted together," she muttered and was so close to him now he looked down to see her violet eyes glitter up at him. He leant in further and saw colour rise in her cheeks as he bent down to whisper in her ear.

"That's true," he whispered back and felt her shiver as his breath touched her neck, he put a hand around her neck and felt her flesh burn beneath his touch. "What're you suggesting?" He asked and moved away from her. She stood, slightly breathless for a moment before she responded.

"That we travel together-"

"I travel alone," he said quickly and was already walking away.

"Why?" She asked and he stopped walking, cocked his head back to her.

"See those doves?" He pointed to some doves nestled on a rooftop above them, she nodded. "I am like one of them; fly down, eat, sleep, and fly off again." He said and turned fully to her now. "You are this." He pointed next to him and the girl had to move to the right to see a stone statue of a girl reaching out into the night; she was the symbol of freedom in this city. "Constantly reaching for the stars but too scared to jump to them." He whispered and the girl shook her head; this boy thought he knew her so well? "I'm taking my leave," he pulled his hood back over his face and left the alley. The girl stood for a moment and rubbed the back of her night.

"Stressful evening?" A woman jumped down from the roof above her and landed softly. The young girl appraised her guard; the woman's emerald eyes flashed intently in the darkness and she brushed long red hair away from her face impatiently. The girl nodded at her. "Shall we go home your highness?" The woman enquired; the pair had known each other so long she knew what all of the princess' gestures meant. They were about to walk out of the alley when the princess felt her neck again.

"No," she muttered before looking, wide-eyed at her protector. The red-headed woman waited for the princess to explain, "my necklace it's- he took it!" She shouted and was about to run after him when her guard caught her arm.

"Your father will be looking for you by now." She said wisely, the princess nodded before following her guide, a small smile on her face.

Back on the streets of the city Gaara wondered aimlessly, reminiscing about that violet eyed girl; she seemed familiar but he couldn't quite place the face. No bother, he'd probably never see her again. He passed a stall selling drinks and decided that his encounter with her left him thirsty, but upon going to retrieve his pouch of money he found out it was no longer there. He thought desperately for a moment….he almost shouted the word "no" before smiling. When he had leant in to take her necklace he felt her hand near his wais; she'd stolen from him! He changed his mind; maybe he would be seeing her again.

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So...what did you think?

Be nice!

**Review please!**


	2. Rubies and Emeralds

**Yay- second chapter! Note: Princess' name is Almira but her nick-name is Ame. **

**Also- this is chapter's really long!**

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Gaara sat, waiting for the jeweller to arrive at the small tavern. He called it a tavern but it was more a hideout; where people who didn't want the world to know them, came to wile away the hours unseen. He held a drink in his left hand his right hand was stroking the solid gold necklace in his pocket. He'd taken an evening to decide what to do with it; it would be too difficult to find the girl in this kingdom so instead he'd sell it on to a jeweller. It was simple yet effective he concluded. He pulled the hood of his cloak further down as he saw many prying eyes try to catch a glimpse of his face; no one in this kingdom knew him really. They'd all heard of Gaara of the desert, who hadn't? But luckily no one knew what he looked like, meaning his red hair and violet eyes wouldn't give him away. Wait…he didn't have violet eyes, _she _did. Damn, he couldn't get her off his mind. Each corner he turned he found himself foolishly hoping he'd bump into her. Why? He didn't even know. This feeling inside of him was new to him, he couldn't quite place it. It was almost like the feeling he got before fighting someone; maybe it meant he wanted to kill her? He thought about it. No…this was certainly different to that. Oh, what did it matter? He'll sell the damned necklace and move on.

"Kaze?" He jumped at the sound of his chosen rogue name. An old man, who was pale and incredibly skinny, sat down next to him as he nodded. "I hear you got something good for me?" His voice was gruff and had evidently deteriorated with time and smoking too much. Gaara nodded again and from beneath his robes took out

the necklace. The old man's eyes widened in wonderment for a moment. He took it from Gaara and smiled at him. "You bloody thief." He said roughly before standing up and shouting to people in the tavern. "This one stole from the royals," Gaara wasn't entirely sure what the old man was doing but in an instant many pairs of hands were on him.

"Hey-wait-what?!" He shouted as they began to bind his hands and stop him struggling; how had things gotten out of control so easily?

"This," the old man said once they'd sat Gaara in a chair and the jeweller could look at him, "belongs to our royal family-"

"You guys are all thieves; what do you care?!" Gaara shouted round at them as they all gathered around the commotion. What surprised Gaara even more was his own actions; he could break free of this and destroy them all in an instant. But there was a small part of him, the part that kept reminding him of violet eyes, that made him intent to listen and cooperate.

"Yeah we are all thieves!" Someone shouted from the back, "but no foreigner messes with _our _royal family!" As the stranger shouted this many people cheered. The jeweller inspected the necklace.

"Taken from none other than the violet-eyed Princess Almira." He said and everyone gasped in offence. Gaara stopped looking around wildly as he said this.

"Did you," he breathed uncertainly, "say _violet-eyed princess_?!" Gaara shouted and almost collapsed in the chair when the old man nodded.

* * *

"So nice of you to join us, Ame," the princess stood up straight as she heard her nick-name being said; she'd been trying to sneak into the back of the prayer ceremony that morning but seeing as she had to line up with her sisters at the front of the hall, it was unlikely that she'd go unnoticed. Her mother spoke with a harsh tone but softened as the princess slinked guiltily to her place in between her sisters Hana and Lina. The audience behind the royal family began to talk immediately; why was the princess late?

"Now that Princess Almira is here may I begin today's ceremony?" The priest said impatiently to the King who nodded. He looked pointedly at Ame who avoided his eyes; she'd come back last night and had overslept, luckily her guard, Ember, had woken her but it was already too late. Everyone in the hall, the royal family, religious figures in the temple, members of court and some civilians knelt down on the floor in unison as the priest began the ceremony. They all tilted their heads forwards, closed their eyes and clasped their hands in front of them.

"Why were you late?" Lina, who was on Ame's right, spoke in an incredibly quiet whisper and hid her lips with her hands. Ame kept her eyes closed and whispered back;

"None of your business." Even though she knew Lina was the one sister she shouldn't say that to; it would just make her more determined to find out.

"You weren't with that boy were you?" Hana, who was younger than her and on her left, joined into the conversation.

"No I wasn't!" Ame said irritably, "now both of you shut up and listen to the prayer." She muttered and took a deep breath to stop herself shouting at her sisters. There was a moment when none of them spoke but then the inevitable whisper from Lina came again.

"What boy?" Lina was the second oldest of seven sisters and she was known for being the one who needed to know everything about everybody as soon as possible.

"Ghassan's son," Hana whispered past Ame.

"No way Ame's not good enough for him!" Lina muttered.

"What is that supposed to mean?" Ame didn't really care about Ghassan's son, she didn't mind him but didn't see him in that way either.

"It means you're ugly." All three girls froze. That voice didn't belong to any of them; it was deep and commanding and they all hoped like hell it wasn't who they thought it was. Even though their father had said a joke the tension he created meant that if any of them laughed they'd be punished instantly. "Embarrassing me by talking about matters such as this in the middle of prayers?" He said calmly but the girls didn't dare turn around. "Please, everyone excuse the insolence of my daughter's, I shall speak with them now." Each girl stood up; facing burning with shame as the entire assembly watched them turn to their father and cower beneath his glare. Their father was a kind man, known for his bravery in war and calm approach to politics. But one thing he hated, was having prayers interrupted. "Out." He said and pointed to the door, all three sisters bowed their heads in shame and walked out, each hoping the gathered in the hall would pay no attention. The king walked out after them. They were stood in the throne room; two large, golden thrones in front of them with seven a little way behind those and less grand. The girls lined up in front of their father's throne as he went to sit in it. He wore the colours of their kingdom; purple and gold, he matched the throne this meant as the purple stones shimmered in the morning light. The room was huge for it is where their father would hold councils with hundreds of important figures; it's also where he told them off. Once the king had sat down each princess gulped loudly and shuffled close together. "So, firstly we must address the matter of punctuality." He said and Ame sighed; why did he have to talk to them so professionally when it came to being told off? It just made it even more intimidating. Ame stepped forwards as he was addressing her but found she couldn't quite look him in the eye. She merely stared down at the floor and inspected the many bracelets on her wrists; eleven gold and dark blue stoned bracelets in total and they'd taken twelve women to sort them out for her to wear that morning. "Your reasons for being late to prayers?" Her father commanded and she jumped back a little; making the jewels on her dress and body jingle as they clanged against one another.

"I overslept." She said feebly and looked her father in the eye. "Because last night I was," _think faster Ame, think faster_-

"In my company." The girls all turned around and the king looked beyond them to a figure that walked in from the other side of the room. He wore a robe of dark blue, the same colour as Ame's; his clothes were fitting for someone whose father was a Councillor. He was incredibly handsome and each of the princess' secretly found him attractive though they never really admitted it to each other completely. Only Lina _ever _voiced her opinions about boys. He had dark hair like the night sky and the palest blue eyes that, when they had first met him, they had become enchanted by. Over time Ame had grown to be his friend and they'd often, to the dislike of her sisters, be seen conversing in the palace grounds.

"Jin!" Hana whispered in disbelief, even Ame looked shocked before smiling and nodding at her father in agreement with the boy's statement. Jin was son of one of her father's closest advisors; in fact her father had been encouraging her to spend more time with the boy. They were already friends so Ame saw no problem in this; that was until Lina shot her a cold look.

"Jin," the king smiled at him as he walked closer. "Might I ask what you were doing in the presence of my daughter?" Even though Jin and Ame kept eye contact and in her mind Ame was repeating: _don't say anything stupid! Don't say anything stupid! _She could tell Jin wasn't getting the picture.

"Oh, this and that." He said in an offhand manner and went to stand with Ame who turned to him in disbelief; her father would kill them both if he had that kind of attitude towards this situation. But as Jin turned her around, for she was frozen with a look of horror, she saw her father was smiling.

"Well then I guess talks of nothingness may lead one to sleep in." Ame had a nervous twitch developing in her right eye; what on earth was her father talking about? He was just going to let her off? The king appraised them both; the boy and his daughter stood in front of him, both shy of one another; it was so sweet to think this was still how young people behaved when infatuated with one another. They stood and he sat; staring at each other, trying to figure out what the other was thinking before the king cleared his throat to prevent his other two daughters, who were trying to slip out unnoticed, from moving anywhere. "We have not discussed this matter fully." He said and the other two turned to him once more. "I appreciate your…" he looked down at Ame and Jin, trying to think of an appropriate word, "companionship," _companionship?! _Ame thought, _what on earth does he mean by that. _"But these matters should not be discussed when prayers are going ahead!" He was suddenly angry again and even Jin took a step back as the old, powerful king raised his voice. He looked once again to Ame, "Princess, discuss the matters of you relationship," _relationship?! _"with your sisters in your private quarters. I do not wish the entire kingdom to hear of you frivolities." He said slightly irritably before standing and sighing. "Prayers are over," he said upon hearing people shuffle out of the prayer hall. "You three are dismissed to lessons," the King was walking out as Ame gave Jin a look that could've killed when her father turned back.

"Jin, join your father and I in discussion now please." The boy nodded before smiling at the girls and moving off. Once the king and Jin were gone, Hana and Lina rounded on their sister.

"You liar!" Hana shouted.

"You and Jin; no way!" Was all Lina could shout.

"There's nothing going on!" Ame shouted back and the other two quietened even though Lina pouted at her in her usual annoying way. "Jin just said that to save me-"

"Why would he do that?" Lina said and walked closer to her sister.

"Because we're friends, nothing more." Ame added quickly to answer both their looks.

"There better not be anything going on." Lina muttered. "'Cause I saw him first."

"What?!" Hana shouted at them both, "we're respectable ladies of the royal family." Ame and Lina rolled their eyes; it seemed their younger sister's only role was to remind them of the part they played in this family. "And you both go chasing after boys-"

"I'm not!" Ame shouted but Lina was talking over her and began arguing with Hana. Ame quietened and decided it was time to get away from all this mess. She slipped out of the throne room; at this rate she was going to be late for lessons too.

* * *

"Princess Almira!" Someone shouted up to the roof-top veranda where she was drinking tea and discussing politics with her teacher. She placed her tea cup on the table, gathered her dress together and walked to the edge of the veranda. Below she saw a single female servant, one she was quite familiar with.

"What is it?" She shouted back even though she knew it wasn't proper to shout at all. Her teacher, a wise looking man in his late thirties walked up behind her.

"Perhaps her highness should go to the servant?" He suggested and Ame smiled at him before he lead her down the steps to ground level. Upon reaching the servant, who was flustered and very young, Ame put a consoling hand on the girl's shoulder.

"Speak when you are ready." She said in her most diplomatic tone and the servant nodded gratefully for she was out of breath after running quickly to find the princess. They were all stood in the princess' quarters, next to a pond, well it was more like a small lake, with lilies floating on the surface. The water was sparkling in the Summer sunshine and Ame quite wanted to jump in.

"Your father calls you!" The girl said after regaining breath but upon hearing the second word the princess was already running; she couldn't be late for this!" Ten minutes later she entered the throne room; looking desperately around for her guard. She cursed as she was not there; recently the woman had taken to leaving for days at a time to do her own work. Ame was shocked to find that the hall was full and every member of court and the royal family was present, sat in their appropriate chairs. Only one was empty and that was her throne. She walked slowly, through the silent hall, to her chair. As she sat down she looked past her father's throne to see who it was he was addressing; having a whole court in session meant it was an incredibly serious matter they were discussing. As she craned her neck, for her father's chair was almost directly in front of hers, she got a glimpse of the person kneeling to the king. She gasped and almost fell out of her chair.

"Princess Almira," her father said as she tried to hide her face behind his chair but he held out a hand and beckoned her from behind. "Please step forwards." He said and she gulped; looking around for someone to save her but no one would. In fact all her sisters stared down with a similar far-off look as they looked at the boy in question. Ame stood up and walked slowly towards her father. She reached his side after a few moments and put a hand in front of her face. "This boy…" her father's voice trailed away, "Ame, what are you doing?" He asked as he looked at her and saw her shielding her face.

"I, erm," _think, think, think! _"The light's too bright!" She said quickly and many people in the hall began to giggle.

"Put your hand down!" Her father whispered dangerously, "dare you embarrass me again?!" She didn't like his tone so removed her hand and as she did she slowly moved her eyes up to the boy in front. Her mouth opened as she saw on his face was not a look of terror at being summoned by the king, but he looked like he was enjoying seeing her squirm. As their eyes met both immediately had an understanding; he was a rogue, he'd do whatever he could to get his own way and at the moment he had the upper hand. He knew now her identity and if anyone found out she'd gone out and dressed like a commoner last night then she'd be in serious trouble. She had to think of a plan fast; _get him out of here! _Was all that came to mind.

"Your highness," he spoke with a silky voice and bowed to her, she looked around nervously.

"This boy," her father began again, "was fond in possession of this." Ame turned to her father who held up her gold necklace; everyone knew it was hers as it had her name engraved on the back of the large ruby pendant. "He claims you gave it freely." At this there was much chatter from the assembled crowd. Ame took the necklace.

"Yes," she said suddenly; surprised she'd said it. "Yes I did." She inspected the necklace. "And what a wonderful job you've done!" She said quickly and her parent's exchanged glances. She looked at them innocently, "Kaze here," she nodded to him, "is a travelling jeweller." She said quickly.

"A," her mother raised an eyebrow, "…travelling…jeweller?" Even Ame didn't know what it meant.

"Yes your highness," Kaze stood and nodded at Ame's words, "one of the finest." Ame turned to him and gave him a _let's-not-over-do-it _look.

"And I gave him this necklace." She walked up to him and turned to her parents so they stood side by side with innocent enough looks.

"Yes and I replaced the…err…" Gaara didn't know the names of any stones.

"Emerald-"

"Ruby!" They had spoke at the same time and looked at each other quickly. "Both!" Kaze stated quickly, "both yes, rubies and emeralds." Even Gaara was getting nervous now and Ame could tell; he'd acted so coolly before but now he'd dropped himself in it. Ame nodded vigorously as her father held out his hand to inspect the necklace and as he was looking the princess saw Jin slink out of the shadows near by; looking at them both with interest. She blushed.

"Well thanks ever so much!" She said turning to Kaze, "but I suspect you want to be on your way-"

"I must say this is expertly done!" Her mother said loudly over her and Ame's heart sank; she knew what that meant. "Look dear," she pointed to the necklace as the king inspected, "it looks as though it's had nothing done; perfect matches in colour, shape size, you are talented!" The queen appraised Gaara who blushed.

"Well for such a _kind, loving _princess," he said and Ame could've hit him. "It was the least I could do."

"And payment?" Her father asked. "Has my daughter given it to you?" Ame's reaction was too slow.

"Not yet no." Gaara said with a small smile.

"I insist you stay in the palace for a few days!" Ame's mouth dropped open and even Gaara was shocked. "you are a traveller and as such you must rest here with us!" Her father concluded. "And here we were thinking you were a thief!" Everyone began to laugh heartily and Ame and Gaara laughed nervously.

"I'm going to kill you!" Ame whispered as everyone laughed.

"Go on then; that's a dare." Gaara replied and they both smiled at the royal family.

"To lunch!" Her father announced and held up an arm to Gaara who walked forwards and the king put his arm around him as though they were old friends. Everyone began to file out of the hall and all her sister's gathered around the shaken princess.

"Father's reacting as though the boy saved my life!" She muttered in disbelief. But none of her sisters were listening, they all watched after Gaara with that dreamy look on their faces. Ame hung her head, "this is the beginning of a nightmare." She said as all her sisters called after Kaze; wondering what quarters he would be sleeping in.

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**See, it was crazy long and I think I like Gaara waaaaaaaay more than anyone should like a fictional character XP  
**

**I didn't think I'd be adding humour to this story but whatever- what's done is done!**

_**Review if you like! XD**_


	3. A Forgotten Stone

"Princess Almira, sit with our guest." Ame sighed with barely suppressed frustration as her mother spoke to her sweetly. They were in the Great Hall (_A/N: I'll lol at that for all the HP fans so you don't have to…LOL…-_-) _a place reserved for when the royal family and their council took lunch and dinner; breakfast was usually in their own quarters or, for the girls, in their first lessons. One side of the hall was lined with a wall painted dark blue and in gold writing was the names of the royal family members, it dated back hundreds of years. On the other side were arches, framing a view to the King's courtyard; a pool of contemplation surrounded by flowers and blossoming trees. The family took their seats first, Ame's mother had placed her opposite Gaara, and then the rest of the council sat down. Servants came from hidden doors to begin filling their plates for lunch. As soon as this happened it was the cue for the people at the table to begin talking loudly to one another about matters that the princess' never wanted to talk about. Usually Ame's sisters were talkative and she ate in silence, she was the kind of girl who liked to listen and it took her a minute to realise they hadn't said a word. She looked up from her glass she was inspecting and saw all six of her sisters were staring at Kaze as though they had never seen a boy before. She looked across at him and smiled in a fake way that showed him she was still annoyed.

"So," the king began and all his daughters sighed; starting a conversation with this word in that way meant it was going to be a long and boring conversation. "A travelling jeweller?" The king said uncertainly and the way he said it, as though he was sure it was made up, made Ame choke on her drink. She'd tried not to laugh but the look everyone's face was hilarious. "Oh dear-"

"You _swallow_." The youngest two sisters, one sat on Ame's side of the table and one opposite, next to Kaze, spoke in unison. They were twins, easily the cutest of the family with dark blonde curls and green eyes. Ame blushed scarlet when she saw Kaze was secretly laughing at her.

"What exactly is a travelling jeweller?" Ame asked across the table; it wiped the smile off Gaara's face.

"You found me princess Almira," he said with equal forced politeness, "why don't you explain?" She looked over to her father and mother who were sat at the head of the table; they seemed to be watching the pair with great interest.

"Alright," she said "it's….a jeweller that travels." Kaze choked on his drink.

"You _swallow." _Ame joined in with her sisters as they told him. The girls along the table began to giggle and cast glances to their father. Kaze got over his fit and leant forwards.

"Yes your highness but I am on a quest." He whispered and there was something so intense in his ocean coloured eyes that for a moment, made the princess breathless. She leant forwards as well; something told her she could trust him, so what quest was he on?

"And what is your objective?" She asked smoothly and Gaara swallowed hard; the sunlight streaming in from the archways caught the shine of her dark hair and made her eyes sparkle. They stared at each other, both lost for words as they had become closer and realised there was something dangerous, seductive in risk almost, about the other-

"What is your objective?!" Gaara and Ame jumped; the king too had leant forwards and joined the conversation. Except instead of whispering he had shouted quite loud at the both of them. They both blushed as they moved away from each other and saw the sisters were all smirking; Ame always got into trouble, she was the worst princess out of all of them.

"It is to find a forgotten gem," Kaze said and leant back as a servant came to put a dish in front of him.

"Oh?" The Queen said; she was incredibly fond of jewellery and with this came a love of gems, stones, rare metals like gold. "What stone is this?" She smiled at him and Kaze ran a hand through his hair.

"No one is quite sure. For no one has ever seen it." He said and Ame rolled her eyes; if he thought he could fool anyone with that mystique he was in for a shock. "It could be the colour violet," he said and she looked up suddenly; there was something in his voice, that made her think he was speaking of her. "With a hint of gold." There was also something wonderful about his voice; it made Ame's sisters all sigh. They were buying it! Her entire family was captivated by the passionate and secretive way he spoke! It was absolutely ridiculous. But as she looked at him the same thing happened as before; she was captured by him in the same way her sisters were and she was sure now he was comparing her to a gem, that's so roman- "Or it could be really ugly." He concluded quickly and sat back in his chair. The princess' shoulders slumped in disappointment; this guy was just a jerk.

"That's going to make a wonderful story!" Hana shouted from a little way down the table; she had a love for stories about quests, adventures different to her own inside the palace.

"The man who found the rarest and most beautiful stone." Her mother nodded as well. Ame put her head in her hands; her whole family had fallen in love with him! Even her father smiled and nodded happily as the conversation continued about some other things Ame had no desire for. She stopped listening and stared around in disbelief as her family's conversation embraced the boy like he was a long lost soul they'd all been searching for.

"Princess Almira!" She heard her name being called a little while later and looked up. Jin was walking towards her; oh good, he always had something decent to talk about. He came up to her which Gaara found strange; he approached her like a friend rather than a member of royalty. He did not know that Ame and Jin had been friends since childhood; they knew everything about one another and recently had become very close. "I was wondering, if you are finished with lunch, if you'd like to walk with me?" He asked and Ame nodded; wanting to get away from this place as soon as possible. They looked to her father who, after a moment's deliberation, nodded his consent. As Ame stood everyone else at the table did too; a sign of respect for her, she nodded thanks to them all before leaving the hall with Jin. "What to you think?" Gaara heard the king whisper to his wife, she smiled at him knowingly and took his hand.

"They will be married within a month I suspect." She replied and upon hearing this Gaara choked on his drink for the second time.

"YOU _SWALLOW!"

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_

"What do you wish to speak about?" Ame asked as they walked along the brick pathway in the gardens. It was summertime, meaning the most beautiful flowers were blossoming, feeling the gardens with sweetened fragrance.

"How did you meet him?" He asked as Ame leant down to smell a yellow rose next to them, she looked up to him.

"Who?" She asked and he shook his head.

"You know who; Kaze." He spoke his name with such distaste that it satisfied Almira; she was glad someone else disliked him. She stood up and they continued walking. She didn't speak for a minute as it was a dignified way of wasting time; her father had taught her that diplomats do this often; they pretend they are phrasing a question but really their thinking of a plan to save themselves.

"My guard, Ember, had heard of him and suggested she take the necklace-"

"You trust her with such a treasure?" Ame gasped in offence.

"You know I trust her with my life…unless this is not a worthy treasure!" She said and held her head high and began to walk faster than him. He clicked his tongue with impatience and caught her arm so he could walk in line with her.

"This is the treasure I value the most, you know that!" He whispered urgently but Ame had had enough, she stopped walking and turned to him.

"Why do you want to speak of that…man!?" She wanted to use a bad word to describe him but couldn't; her language had been shaped by so many teacher's that she'd forgotten how to speak about people in a bad way.

"Because I do not trust him!" He said with equal anger. "Because I believe he is not what he says he is!" Oh no- if he found out Kaze was a rogue Kaze would surely tell him of her exploits.

"Well I trust him!" She exclaimed quickly, "he did wonderful work on my necklace and I think any person who's good at handicrafts should be trustworthy!" She concluded and Jin just looked at her like she was insane.

"Do you even know what you just said?" He asked her.

"I trust him." She said seriously, "and you should too; he is a good man." She was lucky she knew Jin well; if she'd remained angry with him he would have stormed off and began an investigation into Kaze's identity but if she was sweet to him he would forget everything.

"Alright princess," he said slowly and she smiled. "You're always right." He said slowly before putting a hand to her face and moving in a little further, Ame smiled and moved in as well-

"Your highness!" Ame's right eye began to twitch again and Jin sighed; he would never get the chance to kiss her. They both looked over to Kaze who walked to join them.

"What?" Ame asked scathingly and Jin was amused at the fact that Kaze didn't seem phased by her coldness at all; in fact it seemed to cheer him up.

"Your father says you are the best person to give me a tour of the palace-"

"This place is huge!" She protested and Gaara looked as disappointed as he could.

"Well then maybe you could show me the alley ways of the city; I'm sure you know them-"

"Alright, alright!" Ame shouted over him so Jin could not hear him speak. "Let's go." Jin bowed to her and nodded at Kaze before giving him a cold look and walking off. Gaara bit his bottom lip.

"Did I interrupt something?" He asked innocently and laughed at the look on Ame's face.

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**Ok, stuff will definitely happen next chapter…just building relationships...introducing characters...whatever!**

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	4. Petals and Swords

**Here is the next wonderful chapter for you all to enjoy…

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**Gaara and Almira walked briskly and in stubborn silence for after ten minutes they had had enough of each other. Gaara cast a hidden glance over to the princess as she walked with her head high, back straight, but he could tell she didn't like her clothes; she was uncomfortable with the big jewels, the tiara and folds of cloth that made her dress. In truth there was something that amazed her about him; the fact that she didn't fit in at all here, the fact that her eyes were unlike any colour he'd seen and the fact that she'd stolen more from him than just a purse. She caught him looking and he blushed as he averted his eyes. Ame smirked slightly upon seeing him blush; so he wasn't too confident or arrogant. In fact he seemed quite nice when not teasing her, he was handsome too with his ocean coloured eyes and dark red waves of hair. She shook herself out of it; he was blackmailing her, he was practically her enemy! They continued to walk through the gardens but their frustration towards each other ebbed away and their pace slowed. They came to a part of the garden that was a raised platform, it was large enough to seat all seven sisters and had random red and gold cushions on the marble floor. Ame walked up the steps that lead to the platform and sat down on a cushion in the corner, correcting her dress around her as she did. Gaara followed and sat in the opposite corner, cross legged on the marble. He stared at her for a moment as she did not look at him and instead brought her hair to one side of her neck.

"Dismissed." She said sharply and servants, Gaara had not even noticed, moved out of the gardens. He smiled at them as they walked away and looked back to the princess; she looked at him so coldly he could actually feel the daggers in his back.

"For a princess with your reputation you sure aren't very hospitable." He commented and she scoffed.

"You are here, _rogue," _she was sure to emphasize the last word to remind him of his position to her, "on false pretences." She looked away haughtily, "and shall be gone after this night. I only have to put up with you for another eighteen hours." Gaara laughed.

"Now there's no need for the royal tone with me," he said and leant forwards, "I've met the real princess, the one on the streets, you can't fool me with your fancy language and pretty words; in these eighteen hours you belong to me." Her eyes flashed up at him but he stood his ground. "You will do as I say because if I tell your parents of our meeting you'll be in real trouble."

"Fine." She said quietly after a moment.

"What was that?" He put a hand to his ear and she folded her arms.

"I said _fine!" _She shouted and he nodded.

"Good." There was another minute of silence as she gave him the evil eye and he thought of what he was going to do with her. Now of course many men would jump to one conclusion, but not Gaara, this girl was worth more than things than that; she was talented at many things and he wanted to find out more. "Last night-"

"Lower your voice" She whispered urgently.

"Perhaps I could just come closer-" He got up but stopped as she put a hand up.

"You may remain speaking at that level of volume." She said suddenly and it took a moment for Gaara to realise what that frightened look in her eye was. He laughed.

"Your highness I can assure you I will not touch you in such a manner." He said seriously and her eyes softened, "I couldn't taint something as beautiful as the moonrise," she gasped; he spoke so- "besides you're not up to my standards." He said and she laughed; he was teasing her but she'd gotten used to it.

"You are…" she muttered.

"What?" He asked but she simply blushed and shook her head.

"What is it you want to talk about?" She asked and as she did a small rabbit came onto the platform, Gaara watched with a sly smile as it hopped it's way to Almira and nestled itself inside the folds of her dress that fell on the marble. It surprised him to see she didn't mind. "All the animal's here belong to me," she explained, "they've known my smell since I was a child."

"Oh," Gaara said, "sweet." She rolled her eyes at his sarcastic tone. "I wish to talk of your weapon." He said quickly, "your katana-"

"You cannot have it!" She shouted and he shook his head.

"Princess I am not here to steal from you, to hurt you, to stain you or anything like this." He explained and Ame could see it in his eyes that he was telling the truth. "Let me be a friend, not a blackmailer." He suggested and she said nothing to this so he carried on, "your katana, may I see it?" He asked again and after a while she nodded. It was lucky they were sat next to where it was kept. Ame stood, (the small rabbit hopped away as she did so) (_A/N: why is there a rabbit?) _and walked over to Gaara's side. On the side of the platform the marble was at least a foot thick and she leant over the side to inspect it. Gaara turned and followed her gaze; there was a handle in the marble, it was a draw! She reached over and pulled it open, at least she tried; it was awfully difficult in these clothes.

"Ah," she gasped as she tried to pull so Gaara put his hand on the handle next to hers and pulled as well. After a minute of struggling the draw jerked open. They were both kneeling next to each other, panting after the effort and leaning forwards to see the drawer. Gaara looked over to Ame with a smile and swallowed hard as he found, due to her leaning forwards, he could see the flesh beneath the neck of her dress. He averted his eyes quickly and Ame blushed the colour of his hair. "Erm, here it is!" She said quickly and pulled it out. It was in a long black case that was typical of royalty. It had small gold butterflies in the case that seemed to be chasing after gold ribbon. Ame stood and unsheathed her sword. The metal was even more beautiful than Gaara had anticipated; he gasped as she moved the sword around so it glistened in the sunlight. He looked back in the drawer. "What are these?" He asked as he saw many other swords, less decorative than hers, lined up underneath it.

"They're spares that I used to practise with."

"May I?" He asked and she nodded. He took one from the draw, once he stood up he looked around to see Ame mesmerised by her own sword. "It's stunning," he said and she smiled. "But," he unsheathed his sword, "do you know how to use it?" In a flash he had brought his sword up to her neck but her metal met his within an inch of her flesh. They stood in shock; she hadn't anticipated him practising with her. "Excellent," he commented, "but your holding the blade wrong," he said and was surprised that she didn't protest; she had come across as rather arrogant before, then again, so had he. "Here," he put his sword down and went to stand behind her. From behind he put his arms around her and placed his hands on hers where they gripped the sword. It was good she'd put her hair around one side of her neck, he hadn't realised how long it was! But it meant he could peer over her shoulder to see her sword. "Place your hands here," he said and slid her hands further down the handle of the blade. "Good," he whispered in her ear, "now, you raise your arms for your beginning stance." He said and raised her arms by pulling her sword higher.

"What if I'm defending, not attacking?" She asked.

"Oh, I see." He said suddenly, "your guard has been training you hasn't she?"

"Ember has, yes." She said and looked at her shoulder to see his face close to hers, it almost made her gasp but she knew she couldn't let him know of the strange butterflies in her stomach.

"Princess' always defend." He muttered, "no matter, I will teach you to attack."

He said and raised her arms higher. "Now," he leant in again and brushed a straying strand of hair away from her neck, "remove the outer layer of your gown-"

"WHAT?!" Almira screamed and elbowed him away from her, it was so sudden he stumbled backwards and when he looked up she was shaking her head in anger and had her sword risen, ready to attack.

"No, your highness, you misunderstood-"

"You asked me to remove my clothes!" She shouted and him and he looked at her seriously before laughing. "Stop laughing!" She shouted again, "you disgust me-"

"Ame, I was asking you to remove _only _the top layer of your gown so that when I practise with you, you won't be weighed down or stiff to move." He said quickly and her sword lowered as she realised.

"Oh," she muttered and nodded, "alright-"

"Your jewellery too would be a good idea." He suggested and took her sword as she handed it to him and removed the first layer of her gown. She was wearing two dressed really, one acted as a petticoat and a summer dress as it was so thin, and the other, dark blue and gold, was simply a lot of wasted material to Ame. She threw her dress on the ground and stood in her white one, it was short in comparison to her blue one that reached her ankles, it came just below her knee but Gaara could see she was wearing white trousers that were the same length as her dress. She caught him looking-

"In case I need to go outside the palace walls," she explained, "it's easier to travel in trousers than a gown."

"I bet." Gaara said and smiled at her as she removed all but the last gold bangle. He handed back her katana, "alright, ready?" He asked her and she raised her sword.

"Ready." She nodded and it began. Gaara swung his sword over his head and brought it crashing down to her skull but in an instant she blocked with her own blade. He brought his sword back and lowered it; on the small square platform they circled one another. Glancing each other up and down with a mixture of distaste and infatuation. "Father!" Ame cried suddenly and bowed, Gaara turned quickly to see the king. There was no one there, he turned back to Ame and in a fraction of a second he luckily brought his sword up to meet hers.

"You little cheat!" He cried and she laughed before moving away.

"That was for interrupting my conversation with Jin!" She said and their swords clashed again.

"That wasn't a conversation!" Gaara retaliated and tried twice to attack her, "that was you two trying to get at it in the gardens-" He was silenced as she had advanced so quickly he had to jump off the platform.

"Is that how you speak to a member of the royal family?" She whispered dangerously and jumped down to meet him. In the air she brought her sword to meet his metal and he blocked again.

"It's how I speak to a thief!" He said back with a smile and after a quick salute ran away from her.

"Hey!" She shouted and ran after him, a small smile on her face as well. She chased him to her sisters' aviary (_A/N: bird house) _it was a circular building in the gardens with arches that had pink curtains draped around their pillars. The ceiling was a glass dome and a few trees were dotted around the place, Almira could only hear birdsong and the fluttering of wings nearby. She stood in the centre, not using her eyes but her ears to hear for his footsteps.

"Let's make a deal," she jumped and turned around as he came out from behind a tree and leant against it before swinging his sword over his shoulder. Ame waited to hear him out, "if you win I leave immediately, if I win," he thought for a moment, "you ensure I stay at the palace for as long as I wish." Ame laughed.

"You'll be lucky!" She said and he shook his head.

"Either say yes to the deal or I'll go tell mummy and daddy where you were last night-"

"Alright, alright!" She said and smiled, "I'm not gonna lose!" She shouted and brought his sword down on him, he moved and her blade entered the tree. He had jumped behind her and she panicked as she had to struggle to pull her sword out but in a moment she'd pulled it out and blocked Kaze's sword. They stood for a while, their blades crossed at her neck and he stood taller than her and leant in. He was surprised she was so strong; she was managing to keep his sword away from her flesh. Why had their breathing increased as they had moved closer, as though the three inches of air between their lips was running out? "I…" Ame began to say something but as he moved an inch closer her eyes were caught on his lips.

"What?" He asked but he too was caught by the sight of her being so close. The temperature had risen considerably as Gaara moved forwards and he surprised her as he bypassed her lips and instead went to whisper in her ear. "You can just let me win," he whispered and Ame closed her eyes, his breath against her neck made the butterflies in her stomach dizzy.

"Why?" She whispered back.

"Because you really want me to stay." He said and she laughed before pushing him away from her violently.

"You are way too vain Kaze." She said and he shrugged before she ran and he gave chase. They ran out into the gardens once more and Ame ran straight into her sisters who were migrating to the aviary. They all screamed and scattered as she ran through them.

"Ame you crazy!" They shouted something like that and she shouted back an apology.

"Sorry!" Gaara said as he ran through them as well.

"Don't worry Kaze," all six sisters said in unison and he smiled at them before stopping, finding he was right in the middle of their group.

"How are we all?" he asked and they all giggled, in leant against his sword as they all began to chat to him.

"Hey!" Almira shouted at him; she'd noticed he hadn't followed and went back to see where he was. Standing in the middle of her sisters being adored by them he was! What a git! In truth Gaara knew it would annoy her and there was something cute about her irritated face he loved to see; he wasn't interested in any of her sisters that way. "Stop flirting!" She shouted at him.

"Sorry girls," he said with exaggerated sadness, "but it seems your sister wants me all to herself." They all groaned in annoyance at Ame and her mouth hung open in surprise and anger.

"Oi!" She yelled, "I do not!" Gaara nodded at the sisters in an understanding manner before picking up his sword again and running away.

"Bye girls!" he shouted and Ame just stood there, still shocked. "Are you going to run?" he asked her as he approached and she jumped as she realised he was coming.

"Ahh!" She screamed and giggled at her own actions while starting to run again. Gaara caught up to her a few minutes later and she twirled round to meet his sword. The clang of metal could be heard through out the palace grounds. They had reached a place Gaara did not know but there was a pond with trays of flowers surrounding its edge. He pushed Ame back with more strength than before and she stumbled backwards. As she did he bent down and picked up a tray of pink flowers, when she stood she put a hand out to stop him but he threw the flowers at her. Petals fell around her and there was so many in her face at once that she was blinded and as Gaara threw the tray away a thread of the sleeve of his shirt hooked onto her only gold bangle and so when she fell he was pulled to the ground with her. They fell in a shower of pink flowers to the grass and Ame was suddenly shouting. "Get off!" She yelled as Gaara had practically landed on top of her.

"Wait!" He said as she tired to push him off. He held up his hand and she was surprised when her hand was dragged up too. He held their hands between them and, still lying next to her, undid the tangle of thread and gold. She watched him intently as his eyes narrowed on the gold and she smiled, he was slightly, almost, attractive when he wasn't laughing at her. "Guess what?" He whispered to her.

"What?" She whispered back.

"I win!" With a flash of silver his blade was at her neck and his other hand was holding her right hand down so she couldn't reach her sword that she'd let go of when she fell. She struggled for a moment and tried to reach it with her left hand but she knew she couldn't. She turned back to him.

"No!" Was all she could say and he shrugged.

"Sorry princess, but a deal is a deal." He said and stood up. She stared up at him with that same harsh look and he held out a hand to help her up. She ignored him and stood up herself.

"I'm going to," she tried desperately to think of something; "I'm going to…put my clothes back on." She finished feebly as she realised there was nothing she could do.

"While I'm here I can teach you to fight properly-"

"Ember taught me fine!" She said and began to walk off. He caught up with her and sighed; he might've really done it this time.

"I'm sure she did," he said and went to put a hand on his shoulder but before he even touched her another blade came between his and the princess' hand and shoulder. He looked up to see a woman, hair the colour of fire and emerald eyes, looking at him with distaste.

"Step away boy." She growled at him and he jumped away from the princess immediately.

"Haven't we met?" He asked uncertainly and the woman shook her head.

"I have never met you," she said and as she guided the princess to walk away she turned to him and whispered, "Gaara." He gasped; she _did _know him!

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	5. The Golden Border

"Kaze!" Gaara turned as he heard his rogue name being called. He put a hand up in acknowledgement as Jin walked towards him, "I saw your short battle with my Ame-"

"_Your _Ame?" Gaara asked politely, "surely she is not a belonging?" Jin was silent for a moment and had a suspicious look on his face before he dismissed the comment with a wave of his hand and smiled at the boy. He patted him on the back in a friendly manner and Gaara simply raised an eyebrow; for some unknown reasons he disliked the boy immensely.

"Come now," Jin said with a laugh, "there is no need for such hostile conversation." Gaara smiled at him; he was probably annoyed that Gaara had managed to get the princess to take her clothes off while Jin was still foolishly trying.

"Of course not," Gaara agreed as they began to walk through the gardens and back to the palace. "After all, I may be staying a bit longer than thought." Jin noticed the contempt and sly way in which the jeweller spoke but simply nodded at him.

"Oh, is that so?" Jin inquired and Gaara nodded.

"Her highness has asked for my company for a few more days." Gaara said smugly and tried hard not to laugh when Jin jaw dropped, he pulled himself together.

"A…few more…days?" He said slowly; why on earth would Ame want to converse with this man?

"Yes. Princess Almira did not show me the corridors of the palace," he changed the subject quickly; he wasn't sure he liked Jin's accusatory tone, "perhaps you could?" Jin thought for a moment before nodding and leading Gaara to the palace doors. He needed to have words with the princess.

* * *

"Almira," Ember said softly as they girl walked in a dazed fashion through the bath house. It was a beautiful place, and this part was reserved for the princess' only. With sunlight streaming in through white, net curtains hanging from archways and glass chandeliers that hung low in the room. Pillows of fine red silk were thrown about the place along with rose petals; indeed the smell of flowers engulfed the room. Almira was stood in her usual, ankle length, white dress that she wore in the bath house. She was at a mirror, staring dreamily into space as a servant girl brushed her hair, for boys were not allowed in this part of the palace. "Almira?" Ember said a little louder. The woman was stood, still in her travelling clothes, opposite the girl so she could see her reflection in the mirror.

"Hmmm?" Almira looked up to her in the mirror.

"There is much to discuss." Ember said pointedly and immediately Almira turned her head sharply to her servant.

"Dismissed." The girl bowed and walked away. Ame walked hurriedly to a nearby cushion and sat down, awaiting news or a lesson from her tutor. Ember smiled; she had been assigned to the role of the princess' guard since she were three years old but still, after so many years, she still had that air of excitement and disbelief about her when it came to Ember recounting her journeys outside the palace. The woman never claimed to be a tutor but Almira immediately knew she was wiser, more experienced and talented than any of her other tutors and so asked Ember to teach her everything she knew about the outside world, for she ha never properly been herself. Even when she stole away to the streets of the city she was never properly allowed to show herself so it was hardly a decent learning experiences. In addition, Ember had begun teaching the princess something that the King would never allow; she was teaching her the art of being a ninja. "Where have you been?" Almira asked excitedly and Ember smiled at her; Ember always came back with the most brilliant tales.

"Nowhere." They stared at each other until Almira rolled her eyes.

"You cannot even tell me?" Ember shook her head. "Fine." Recently Ember had been leaving for the same place at least once a month, before it had only been every year for a day, but now she could be gone for weeks. Luckily Almira was the only person in the royal household who let her servants have any life outside the palace. "What is it you wish to talk about?" The princess turned around on her cushion, lifted her dress slightly and put her feet into the warm water.

"Jinchuuriki." Ember removed her travelling cloak and went to sit on a chair next to the long bath the princess was sat by.

"Jin…chuuriki?" The princess had never heard of such a term.

"Can you translate?" Ember asked and Ame's face screwed up in concentration.

"It means…power of human sacrifice." The princess said slowly and Ember nodded; she'd taught her well.

"Good. Jinchuuriki are those individuals possessing tailed demons within their bodies." Ame nodded; something was coming back to her.

"They are the bijuu; creatures of great power and destruction," Ember nodded again, "I have read of the wars against them…I think." She tried to remember where she'd heard of them before.

"You know of them in great deal?" Ember asked but the princess shook her head.

"A little, but why is any of this relevant to my lessons?" She asked and Ember looked at her in earnest; should she tell her?

"I wish to talk of one Jinchuuriki in particular," Ember sighed as Almira looked up to her, "Sabaku no Gaara." There was a moment of silence.

"Gaara," Almira said slowly; she had heard that name before! "I have heard this name!" She said quickly, "years ago, during the Chunin exam in Konoha…" Ame thought back to her father discussing it with a member of his council, "there was a boy…a jinchuuriki…evil, they called him." There was a sad way in which she spoke that sparked Ember's attention, but she thought not to dwell on it.

"He is…dangerous," Ember chose her words carefully; she did not know how close Almira had come to the boy, "his demon does not let him sleep, but has turned him cruel with hate towards those who fear him, for they alienate him-"

"Poor thing," Ame said before slipping into the bath with her dress still on. Ember stood and waited for the princess' head to emerge.

"Did you just take pity on the boy?" Ember almost laughed as Almira nodded.

"Those who fear him simply do not know him I bet-"

"He hurts those who are close to him!" Ember shouted, making Almira jump; why was she angry all of a sudden? "His own brother and sister he treats with harsh malice!" Ame took a step back in the water.

"Why do you speak directly of him, I thought I was simply learning about the Jinchuuriki?" Her voice came out quite scared and Ember knew she should not have shouted. Ember went down to the side of the bath and beckoned the princess closer.

"I speak of him because your friend Kaze is-"

"LEAVE." A stern voice said and Almira looked past Ember to see a thunderous looking Jin stood in the doorway. Ember and Almira looked at each other with the same confused expression.

"Jin…" Almira said slightly unbelievingly, "are _you _dismissing _my _servant?" She asked and Ember's slow movements as she stood up wearily showed Almira the woman was angry.

"Yes, I am." Jin said and Ember raised an eyebrow at him.

"When you know this is strictly a place for women only?" She asked and Jin grew impatient.

"Leave." He said again to her and Ember was about to retaliate when Ame stopped her.

"Ember you are dismissed." Ame said and the woman bowed before shooting Jin dirty look and leaving. "You do not talk to my friends, nor my servants like that." Almira said and for this first time…ever…Jin and Almira were angry with one another. The princess swam to the steps in the bath and walked up them, as she did so she reached for a robe on a chair beside her and put it on. "Why is it you are angry Jin?" She asked and for some strange reason her anger was making her sound like an adult.

"You have asked for that, that fool to stay longer?" It took a moment for Ame to realise what he was talking about. She rolled her eyes and walked towards him.

"And what of it?" She laughed at him as he realised his anger was making him look slightly foolish, "Jin," the princess said slyly, "are you jealous?" Jin blushed scarlet and Ame laughed. "Of that fool?" She asked and Jin rolled his eyes.

"Of course not!" He protested, "my only concern is you," he said sweetly and put a hand to her face, "if people see you conversing with a street merchant they will talk-"

"If people see you in _my _bath house they will talk." She said. "Think nothing of it," she waved a hand to dismiss his thoughts, "he is a nobody, why would I, a princess of this place, be interested in him for anything other than his talent?" She asked and Jin nodded.

"I wish to," all of a sudden he was nervous, "to tell you something else." Ame smiled at him as though to encourage conversation and he found his mouth was dry. The princess lowered his hand from her face and took it in hers, she led him to some chairs nearby and sat down opposite him. She gestured for him to sit and he did so. "I do not know how to say it." He admitted.

"I will not think bad of you, I'm sure." Ame nodded at him and he took a deep breath.

"Recently, I have come to realise something." He said quietly and looked up to her and for some reason, seeing her sat, so intent to hear him, made him confident in what to say. "I have realised that every moment with you is like some sort of dream," he got up and went to kneel beside her. Ame swallowed and moved back slightly; surely he wasn't saying what she thought he was saying? "Even beneath a sheet of water my body burns for your touch when I leave you." He _was _saying it! "I have come to realise that it is only you," he had to take a moment to think about how to put it; "it is only you my heart, soul and body desire in this world. If you had to cross mountains, I would move them for you. If you whished to hide in clouds, I would summon the rainy seasons. If the golden border of sunrise meant I could not see you again," he moved close to her, so close that she shut her eyes, "I would keep the moonlit night for you." He whispered. "Since we first met, I haven't been able to catch my breath." Ame smiled; she had felt the same for him for so long. "I'm leaving." He said suddenly and she pushed him away and stood up.

"What?" She shouted and Jin stood up. "You can't just-" Jin kissed her. For the first time they had been able to and it simply confirmed their feelings. Jin opened his eyes and moved only a few millimetres away from the princess; she opened her eyes a moment later. "Don't leave." She whispered.

"I'm sorry, my mother and father are asking for me to meet with them in our old province in three days-"

"Old province?"

"It's a two day journey from here." He sat and she sat down in disappointment. Jin sighed and went down again to kneel besides her. "In a few days travel there too; meet my mother-"

"Your mother?!" Ame was breathing fast, she was getting nervous; why was everything moving so fast. He brushed wet hair from her forehead and laughed.

"She will love you," he assured her, "I do." Ame looked at him and smiled. "Come, leave in two days." He said and stood up with her, they walked to her mirror again and Jin stood behind her. "Bring as many people as you like." He said quietly and kissed her neck.

"Jin." She began, unsure of what she should do or say, there was something nagging at her from the back of her mind but she couldn't remember what it was. She looked at his reflection in the mirror and smiled, "why has this revelation taken so long?" She asked and he embraced her.

"I don't know. I am a protector of this kingdom and yet I do not have the courage to tell you, my best friend that I have been in love with you for so long." They laughed.

"I shall come, in four days." She said and Jin nodded.

"Thank you." He said and kissed her again. "I must go," he said quietly and looked at her one last time before leaving. Ame sat back down on the chair in front of her mirror and almost laughed again; it was such an amazing feeling, the final few moments before their first kiss made her smile as she remembered.

Gaara bowed his head. He had been walking back to the guest quarters he was staying in when he had heard Jin's shout. He thought Jin was angry at Ame and so Gaara had hidden in the shadows of the bath house and listened. He'd heard everything they had said to each other and slowly his heart had sank, he closed his eyes for a moment; what was this feeling rising inside of him? He didn't know what to do or how to feel. He hadn't felt like this for so long, that lonely, empty feeling inside of him that used to torture him as a child. He shook himself out of it and walked away.

* * *

_-That evening-_

"Father," Ame said over the dinner table in as much of a conversational tone as she could muster. Her father looked up to her after finishing his conversation with Kaze and nodded to her. "Erm, I was wondering," she looked to Kaze who for some reason looked away, "if it would be possible for me to travel to Jin's province outside of the kingdom." A stunned silence spread across the table like wildfire. Luckily dinner was only with the family so there was the King and Queen, Kaze, Ame and her six sisters present. The King tried desperately to hide his smile; he knew the reason she was going and he had approved of it almost instantly. See, Ame was his favourite of all the daughters, of course no parent would admit they had a favourite, but Ame had always been the one to make him laugh. But that came at a price; the girl was slightly clumsy, outspoken and far too kind to servants. Her sisters had immediately labelled her as the "failure of a princess" out of all of them; eve the twins and Haru, who were younger than Ame, admitted she was foolish. So for Ame to do something like this; become involved with such an upstanding boy like Jin, it was pretty remarkable. It came with, most importantly, political significance; if the royal family became linked to Jin's in this way it would prove most favourable. "Father?" Ame prompted as he had not said anything for a good two minutes. "May I?" She asked and the Queen smiled at the king before he smiled too.

"Of course." The princess' at the table all began to talk at once. Ame blushed as they all immediately began to interrogate her as to the reason of her visit. Kaze stood up. Everyone stopped talking. He looked around at them all.

"What is it?" He asked coldly and looked to Ame for an explanation.

"Kaze, are you alright?" She asked.

"Yes, I just, need some fresh air." He said, "excuse me," he bowed to them all and was about to leave when the King put up a hand.

"Kaze, wait." Gaara stopped and turned back to the table. "My daughter cannot go by herself to Jin's old home-"

"But, Ember-"

"Has taken her leave for a few days." The King said and Ame sighed; Ember wasn't even telling her when she was leaving now. "I am asking you, Kaze, to be Ame's escort for the two day journey-"

"WHAT?!" Both Ame and Gaara shouted before looking at each other with distaste.

"Why not?" The king asked, "he is a traveller which means he knows the roads well-"

"I thought I would be travelling with an entourage." Ame said quickly.

"I have decided that making such a fuss is not wise in these delicate times." _Delicate times? _"Therefore you will travel in secret to Jin." The King said and Ame sighed; royal families do things so strangely. "You will leave tomorrow evening," the King announced and the queen, upon seeing Ame's confused face, leant in.

"Kaze is a jeweller; he'll come in handy, trust me." Ame smiled at her mother; trying to make sense of what she was saying.

"What do you say?" The King asked them both and Ame forced a smile.

"I would be grateful, Kaze." Almira said and Gaara tired very hard not to get angry at her, why he was on the edge of frustration he didn't even know.

"And I would be honoured."

* * *

**Oh, dear, things aren't going as smoothly as one would hope!**


	6. Pole Star

**I just realised- I completely forgot about Gaara's gourd! It shall make a comeback this chapter!

* * *

**The sun was setting now and in the distance the first twinkling of stars could be seen, hidden behind clouds the colours of purple and pink. The view from Almira's window was indeed magnificent but she'd seen it so often now she'd become accustomed to such beautiful things around her. She was in her room, knelt beside the window; her mother had instructed her to pray that evening for her journey to go smoothly and so she prayed. Knelt on the marble floor, head bowed and hands clasped as she had been taught to do since she was little. She heard the faint echo of birdsong on the night's breeze and smiled. Then came the sound of footsteps, she recognised them instantly, she finished her prayer quickly and stood up. As she turned around her father held out his arms to her and she smiled before going into his embrace.

"Ame," he whispered softly, "my Ame." She smiled up at him and he stroked her hair. "You're leaving this place for the first time tomorrow," he said and she looked away; she'd left many times before but not to go as far as Jin's old home. "You have made me very proud." He said sternly; her father had never been too good at saying things like this to his daughters but Ame was always an exception. "You were never as...much of a princess as your sisters," _thanks dad, _"never as much of a lady, or as pretty, or graceful. BUT," he said loudly as Ame raised an eyebrow, "today you have become beautiful, more of a leader and more elegant than anyone I have seen." Ame laughed as he kissed her forehead.

"Thank you," she said and he moved away from her.

"I should thank you," he said quietly, "you are doing a lot for this family and this kingdom." He walked to the door and Ame was confused about what he said; what was she doing for the kingdom by going to Jin? "Here," her father's voice brought her out of her thoughts and she saw a servant pass him a golden plate of fruit. "This fruit has been blessed by a high priest," she smiled, her father always believed that eating these fruits before doing anything would bring protection, "go and give it to Kaze," oh, she thought he was offering them to her, "say thank you to him." He said and she walked forwards to take the plate. With one last kiss on her forehead she left the room with the plate in her hands.

* * *

Where was Kaze at this hour? She had knocked on his door but there had been no answer. Now, Ame walked through the lamp lit corridors of the palace, still holding the plate in her hands, wondering if the boy had run away. The palace was rectangular shaped; with five floors, on the third floor the middle of the rectangle was dedicated to a marble courtyard. All that was in it was a fountain, dedicated from a previous King to his Queen. The courtyard it was used for the training of the palace guards and Ame had often trained there with Ember in the secret of night. As not to distract the girls from their studies (as classrooms were on the same floor) a wooden wall was built around the courtyard, with arches to allow entry to it. Ame was walking along that very corridor now and cursed softly.

"This is ridiculous," she whispered as she walked, for she had been walking for about an hour. She came to an opening in the wall; an archway with a pale cream curtain, and drew the curtain back, "that boy is-"she stopped dead.

Kaze stood with his back to her, in the middle of the courtyard, a katana in his hand; he was practising in the middle of the night? But that was not the reason she had stopped; Kaze had removed his shirt and proceeded to practise in the starlight. She watched with a mixed expression of awe and disbelief as the moonlight reflected off his skin. She had never seen a body so beautiful, like that of the warriors she had simply read about. Everything about him was so wonderfully defined, from the waves of his hair to the muscles on his arms that she watched as he held the blade up in an attacking stance. She stood, dumbstruck in the candlelight as she held the curtain back. Kaze swung the blade this way and that, catching the metal against the moonlight. He turned in her direction and stopped as he saw her looking. She gasped, took a step back quickly and let the curtain fall between them. But she was too shocked, too in awe of him, to unlock her eyes from his.

"Princess?" she heard him call and something inside of her was telling her to pull the curtain back and speak with him. So she did just that; she held out a hand and drew the curtain above her head.

Gaara swallowed and tried very hard to stand his ground; she looked incredible when bathed in both golden light from the candles behind her and silver light from the moon above them. She was in her white nightdress but still had jewellery of silver diamonds around her. The stones glittered in the moonlight and shone as though she were the very light of a pole star. They stood in silence for a while, simply staring at each other slightly breathlessly. Not knowing what to say, how to explain they found each other more beautiful than anything they had ever seen, for there were too many divides between them, not allowing them to speak their hearts. "What is it?" He called to her for she was still quite far from him. They smiled at one another, trying not to think about their previous thoughts. She walked forwards tentatively and he smiled as the jewels she was wearing jingled as she walked.

"Do you not sleep, Kaze?" She asked as she approached and he smiled. He was stood next to the fountain in the middle of the courtyard; she went to stand with him, her eyes skimmed over his stomach and chest before looking away quickly; what was she thinking?!

"I'm afraid not," he replied and eyed up the fruit in her hands.

"The priest," she indicated the temple with her finger, "blessed these for us; to have a safe journey." He smiled at her and she stared back; his eyes were such an amazing colour! He reached out and picked a pear from the plate. Ame sat down on the fountain ledge and Gaara sat with her, staring at the princess in awe as the moonlight reflected from the water and sparkled in her eyes. "Are you not cold?" She asked and he realised he was shirtless and blushed.

"I...no," he decided to play it cool. "Are you?" He asked as he saw her shiver and she shook her head. "Oh...good." They sat in silence again, wondering what to say to each other, they looked around for inspiration.

"Have you-"

"Will we-" They had spoken at the same time and laughed. "You first." Ame said and Gaara smiled.

"Have you packed your things?" He asked and she sighed.

"My maids are packing for me now, actually, I think they may have finished; it's quite late now." She said and picked an apple from the golden plate and bit into it. Again, that impending silence where neither knew what to say, though they were both thinking the same thing; how were they going to survive a two day journey together without letting slip how they were feeling? Although Ame was trying to deny it to herself, anyone watching now, would tell her to stop looking at Kaze like that, then maybe they'd believe her. "Have you checked the maps?" She asked conversationally and Gaara nodded.

"I was planning on heading to that village after seeing this kingdom." He said, "so I know where we're going." Ame nodded and turned to the fountain.

"The nights in the palace are beautiful," she said suddenly, and Gaara followed her gaze as she put her hand in the water of the fountain and picked up a small blossom that had fallen onto the water from a tree nearby.

"They sure are," Gaara whispered and Ame smiled as she picked the blossom from the fountain and blew it from her hand. Both of them watched as the night's wind carried the blossom away from them and up to the star filled sky.

"But I hear the nights outside these walls are magnificent." She whispered and almost seemed to be enquiring.

"You'll see, when we leave," Gaara added, "just how wonderful the world can be." They both sighed and looked up to the sky, wondering what their adventures ahead had in store for them. Ame shivered again and stood up, picking up the plate as she did so and realising that this was the first conversation they had ever had where they did not tease each other.

"I must sleep," she said slowly as Gaara stood too. They looked at each other for a few moments longer; wondering what it was that was keeping them from leaving.

"Goodnight, princess," Kaze said and bowed to her.

"Goodnight." She nodded to him and walked past him, to the other side of the courtyard. He looked on after her, trying to fight the desire to follow her, especially when she turned around at the archway and looked back to him. In honesty she could stand and stare at him all day, but she just couldn't admit it to herself. With one last smile, she was gone.

"No, no, no. She's a princess and you're…a _Gaara_." Gaara muttered and as he ran a hand through his hair he pulled it slightly as though the pain would wake him up from this dream. On the other side of the wall Ame leant against the hard wood and slid down the wall to a sitting position.

"What's happening to me?" She whispered as she held her head in her hands.

* * *

During the day following their midnight meeting Gaara and Ame saw none of each other. Ame was called away by tutors for quick discussions, usually about the economic crisis the kingdom was facing, or by her sisters who wanted to talk about her and Jin. She told them nothing but they kept on asking. Eventually she'd got fed up with them and left, she went looking for her parents for a while but they were busy with something she did not know about.

Gaara was called by the King's council many times that day, to discuss a sort of "contract" he had with the kingdom about the princess; they discussed things of normality: how much money the two would need, how they were going to disguise the princess, to: how close he was allowed to be to her during the night, where she was to change her clothes. All in all it was merely making him blush for four hours, they asked the most ridiculous questions: _how far would you be from the princess as she bathed? _He cringed when asked things like this. They had enquired about his gourd and he tried not to give too much away, he gave the true story as to what it was, he just left out the part about the demon inside of him. Tends to scare people off. Gaara was pretty confident everything could go smoothly; he had a natural knack for getting where he needed to be so this would be easy.

As the day went on, Ame and Gaara found themselves looking forward to the evening, for that's when they'd be leaving. That's when the real adventure began.

* * *

_-That evening-_

Gaara stood at the back doors of the palace, waiting for princess Almira to emerge from the group of people in front of her. Only a few had come to say goodbye for they knew that causing a fuss at the doors would make the city aware something was happening in the palace. The princess was embracing just her close family as they said goodbye to her, as she was talking to her sisters the king beckoned Gaara towards him with a finger. Gaara approached carefully; unsure of what exactly the king wanted, but he leant in as the king began to whisper.

"You take good care of my daughter," the king said quietly, "you have come into our family in merely two days and one night and yet we trust you." The man put a hand on Gaara's shoulder, "I am putting my trust in you; disobey me and I shall make it the last thing you do, son." Gaara nodded quickly; the king may act as though Gaara were already a part of is family but sometimes Gaara was terrified of him.

"Ame, we were going to buy you a travelling cloak but for _some reason, _you already had one, hidden in your closet." Her mother said loudly to Ame who emerged from the group, dressed just like how she was when she met Gaara. A black cloak was all he could see of what she was wearing and the hood was already over her head. Violet eyes flashed up at him quickly before turning to her mother.

"Oh," Ame said and Gaara smirked, "Ember bought me one on her travels." She said quickly and her family nodded.

"Smooth," Gaara whispered to her and she smiled. "Well, your highness'," he said and looked around at them all, "we shall leave now."

"Goodbye!" Ame called and waved as she and Gaara walked out of the palace doors. Ame drew her hood further down her face and Gaara glanced back as the palace doors closed. Gaara and Ame didn't speak, they simply looked at each other with a sense of determination, faith and courage and both believed they were travelling together on a great escapade into a world neither knew very well. But there was something else, happening between them, something wonderful neither had experienced before, and what better than a two day journey, alone together, to explore this strange new thing?

* * *

**Ooooooooooooh! This is quite an interesting development!**

**As usual, _reviews_ are appreciated- send in ideas if you like…that's basically how I wrote _Romancing the Kazekage, _but that was just people being like- _Oh, I don't like her, she should die! _And me being like- INTERESTING! I shall consider that for my next chapter. **

**Although I have the COOLEST idea for the next chapter. It's not actually THAT cool- I was just damn impressed that I thought it up. I'll have to run it by my beta though…Ember- get a pen and some paper; it's fanfiction time!**

**Ok, that's the longest end of chapter memo.**

**Valentine needs to be quiet…NOW. **


	7. Fight in the Skies

**Wooh- end of exam celebratory chapter! Sorry it's a little short!**

* * *

"Princess, keep your face covered until we've entered the wood!" Gaara said urgently as Almira pulled her hood down.

"We're in the cover of darkness!" She protested as indeed they were walking in the shadows of the palace; no civilians were around. Gaara simply shot an _I-know-better-than-you _look at her and she sighed. "What use of a hood when I can do this?" She asked quietly and put her hands in front of her. It took Gaara a second to realise, as he had not expected it, she was performing a jutsu. He stopped as she kept walking and looked on at her in astonishment. "Henge no jutsu," the princess whispered and in a flash the violet eyed princess was no longer stood before him. Instead the dark curls of hair were now a messy mop of blonde locks and her deep pools of violet were the colour of the clouds. She turned to him and tried not to smirk as his mouth hung open.

"You…what?!" Was all he said and she shrugged.

"Ember's taught me a few…extra curricular things-"

"Oh," Gaara said wisely and she turned to him. He walked over to her and put a hand on her shoulder, noticing she was taller than before. "Princess' aren't allowed to know these things are they?" She shook her head as he laughed, "but those rules don't apply to Ame do they?" Again she nodded. "Figures; runs away, steals, lies…definite ninja material." He muttered and walked passed her.

"Hey, now, wait." She said sternly and went to walk by his side, "I don't run away-"

"So when we met you were just…out for a walk?" He asked.

"Yes actually I was," she said haughtily but could see from his smirk he was buying none of it. "I don't steal-"

"When _are _you going to give back my purse?" He interjected and she bit her lip.

"I don't lie!" She protested but knew it was worthless.

"That in itself is a lie." Gaara commented and all they had to do was look at each other a second longer before lapsing into angry silence. The only reason Ame would ever let anyone talk to her like this, especially a rogue, was because he was still blackmailing her…but if he wasn't she'd sure do something about it. What that was she didn't know but it'd be something big. He sensed her stabbing stare and looked down to her. The air chilled; she was so angry with him! He'd only spoken the truth! Sure, he'd teased her a little bit but that was their unspoken contract; he would tease her, she would get angry but they'd always, for some bizarre reason, chose each other over anyone else. "So," Gaara said after ten minutes of silence, "tell me about your training." The princess looked around urgently, "you're transformed; no one knows who I'm talking to. Oh, by the way- what shall I call you outside the palace?" She thought for a moment.

"Ame." She said with a wry smile, "no one knows that's my name, Kaze," she confirmed and Gaara smiled.

"Besides, the wind and rain are usually spotted together," he added and she laughed; she had said this when they first met. "So your training?" He asked again and she nodded.

"When I was a child Ember told me of her own training…" And so, in the space of a few minutes everything was fine again. The couple were indeed like the rain and wind, and times they were comforting, light and refreshing but at other times they were harsh, bitter cold and awful loud. But the other strange thing was that neither knew which style they preferred the most.

Stars were appearing in the sky and the pair had been walking for at least four hours. But it didn't feel like that long; they'd talked non-stop and hadn't even realised they'd come so far. They had entered the wood and as soon as they were in the cover of the trees Ame transformed back and Gaara had to admit he had missed her eyes but now they were violet once more. Springtime meant the trees were colours of bright green and baby pink with blossoms; it was like walking into a wonderland as these colours engulfed them. They were on the trees and on the floor as the blossoms had fallen in the colder weather.

"Wait," Gaara took a hold of Ame's arm to stop her from going and farther as he looked around, "let's take a rest, it's been four hours." _Four hours? _Ame hadn't noticed at all! She'd been too busy, marvelling at his tales of what life was like when you were, well, free. It seemed like such a dream to her that you could just one day pack your bags, say quick goodbyes and leave. Little did he know that he'd given a lot away about himself; these quick goodbyes were they to loved ones? If so then why quick; what bonds did he have with them? The thud of Gaara's gourd hitting the ground brought her out of these thought."What?" Gaara asked as he waved a hand in front of her face as she stared at the gourd as though it was evil, "why are you staring like that?" she shook her head and lowered her bag to the floor, Gaara did the same opposite her. She glanced at the gourd again; what was in there? "Hungry?"

"No."

"Thirsty?"

"A little," she said and took a bottle from the deep pockets of her cloak. Gaara looked at her a moment longer before lying down on the ground and resting his head against his bag. He looked up to the first stars of the night and shut his eyes, taking in the night air. "Kaze?" He heard Ame call to him.

"Hmmm?" He kept his eyes closed.

"Which element do you employ to attack?" She asked and looked across to him, he opened his eye a fraction and saw that she too was lying on her back.

"You need to ask?" She thought about what this meant before smiling.

"Wind?"

"Yes." Ame sighed; know she thought about it, she'd never seen him use any attacks like this. "Do you know which element you're most associated with?" He asked and she smiled.

"You need to ask?"

"Water?"

"No." He turned on his side to her, "wind." They smiled. "But I've never been able to do much," she muttered, "I seem to have a fixation with leaves-"

"Leaves?" Gaara had to stop himself laughing as she looked at him with a sad face.

"Yes, look." She sat up and put a hand in front of her, she'd only done this a few times but it was such a simple thing. Gaara watched as the blossoms around the princess lifted from the ground, in fact around him they'd begun to lift too until they were floating at his shoulder height when he stood. The princess stood too and he smiled as he could see on her face she was concentrating so hard on channelling her chakra correctly. She was making a small sphere of pink blossoms in front of her and stopped when it was bigger than her head. She looked round it to Gaara who whistled. "It's awful," she said and demonstrated this by blowing at the sphere. The petals flew away from each other instantly; the bonds between them weren't very strong. "I'm not powerful at all," she muttered and sat back down.

"You highness," Gaara said and indicated with a nod for her to stand up, "take a look around." As she stood she rolled her eyes; what was he planning? But then she looked. As far as the eye could see, in every direction, blossoms, leaves, twigs and even stones had lifted from the ground. "You have power," he said, "You just don't know how to use it." He went to his gourd and stood behind it, Ame took a step back as tough scared as to what he was going to do. "Luckily, I know someone who has a fairly similar technique."

"Who?" She asked and gasped as out of the gourd seeped sand. There was something sinister about the way it sneaked out and reached towards her that unnerved her. "Kaze," she whispered, wondering why she was seeking his protection.

"Look," he held out his hand and made the sand form a small sphere in front of her, "try to break that." She took a fighting stance, drew back her hand and then lashed out.

"OW!" She yelled and cradled her hand as the sand still remained intact.

"Sorry," Gaara laughed, "but you can achieve the same thing-"

"I couldn't-"

"Don't doubt yourself." He said sternly, "you wanna see what else you could do?" She looked at him with a smile and nodded eagerly. He moved his hand and the sand formed a simple rectangle in front of her, she raised an eyebrow at him, "get on."

"You're joking." But she could see from his eyes he wasn't so she put a foot on the sand, scared she'd fall through. In a moment Kaze was by her side, he went to stand on the sand and she looked up at him. Like yesterday evening she was hypnotized by his smile and frame against the starry night's sky, a slight breeze ruffling his crimson hair. He held out a hand and without taking her eyes away from his she took his hand and walked onto the sand. They were floating on sand a few inches from the ground and Ame thought it was the most bizarre thing she'd ever done. She held tight onto Kaze and he looked down at her with a laugh.

"We're only a few inches up, if you fall you won't break anything," she looked up to him with fearful eyes. "I can take you somewhere you won't feel scared," he whispered and in an instant Ame felt them rising and closed her eyes before holding on to Kaze's shirt and burying her face there.

"Higher?!" Gaara heard a muffled shout and laughed.

"To the stars," he said back and looked up; he had to manoeuvre their tiny platform of sand in between the branches of tall trees until they broke the surface of the wood and were simply floating above the word. "Ame, open your eyes," she shook her head, "are you scared of heights?" She nodded vigorously. "It's alright, it's beautiful," he said encouragingly and slowly Ame drew away from him, but all she did was look down and go straight back into his embrace. "Look up!" He said wearily and pushed her away but held onto her arms. She still had her eyes closed. "Open up or I tell the King-"

"They're ope…" Ame's voice faded as she stood in awe. First the sight of being level with the stars was exhilarating enough but then the strange, wonderful feeling or being a part of them came. She looked back to Kaze who smiled and she gasped. "This is more wonderful than I could have ever dreamt." She said and this time, when she looked down she wasn't scared. "It's so beautiful," she said and merely looked around them for everywhere was the dark shades of blue sprinkled with glittering stars.

"Ame, did you know that when one is put in a situation of extreme, life-threatening danger, they're more likely to use their abilities better?" He said in one quick breath, she turned to him.

"What-" But Gaara pushed her. She tumbled backwards and fell off the edge, Gaara got to see a quick glimpse of terror cross her face. There was a moment of silence. Then the silent, eerie figure of Ame rose up on a platform of leaves and blossoms. "What," she said slowly and with barely suppressed anger, "do you think," she took a heavy breath, "you're doing?" She asked and Gaara gulped.

"Look," He pointed beneath her feet and she looked.

"Wow!" She said and looked around, "I did it; strong enough to hold me!" She said disbelievingly and jumped onto Gaara's sand. She watched as her own platform stayed there and smiled triumphantly. She turned to Kaze.

"I, hey, wait!" Gaara held up a warning hand but she pushed him over the edge. In an instant he saved himself from falling. "There was no need for that!" He protested and in a flash jumped back onto the sand and pushed her off. She was ready for it and out of the wood the leaves and blossoms rose up to catch her. For a few minutes they played this game of throwing each other into the stars and watching as they saved themselves. Ame had become increasingly better at it but Gaara soon became too carried away. He jumped behind her and pushed her off before she had time to blink. "Ame!" he screamed over the edge once he became aware she wasn't prepared. She fell through the sky and Gaara realised she wasn't going to save herself. He cursed softly and jumped off too, he reached her and saw she had her eyes closed. Just before they broke through the trees he summoned sand beneath them and their movement ceased almost immediately. She was breathing heavily and shaking against him. In fact she looked like she was on the brink of tears. "Ame," he said but she seemed so scared that she wasn't listening, "Ame," he shook her and she opened her eyes. "I will _never _let you fall." He said quietly and she was so captured by the intensity in his eyes she nodded slowly. "Let's go back now; we need to find a place to rest." She nodded again as they floated down through the trees.

* * *

**Aww bless him!**

**Reviews appreciated!**


	8. Lipstick & Lies

**This chapter is a bit random if I'm honest, amusing but...you'll see. I needed to develop and important part of Ame's character and Gaara's view of this and blah, blah, blah, you'll get what I mean!

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"_Here_?" Ame did not easily disguise her tone of disappointment. Kaze sighed and turned back to her.

"Are you upset that no servants opened the door?" He said in his most patronizing voice, Ame pulled a face.

"No, it's just…well," she looked around the dimly lit yet noisy and busy tavern. "Different." It was more than different; she couldn't see her feet due to the layer of smoke that blanketed the floor. The smoke was from pipes and pots of all sizes, sat next to men with large stomachs and booming laughs. In fact the place was full of the oddest assortment of people Almira had ever seen; from noble men to rogues…dining on tables _together? _She almost laughed but then inhaled and the scent of alcohol made her stomach churn, it drenched the atmosphere and made her dizzy even though she'd drunk none. Kaze approached a man at what appeared to be a bar.

"A room for the night," Kaze said smoothly and Ame did not like the way the big bald land lord smiled at her. Then she realised what Kaze had said, she leant in to his ear.

"One room?! Where will I sleep?!" She whispered urgently.

"You wanna be on a room in this place by yourself? With these guys around?" Gaara nodded towards a group of men at a table, bottles in one hand and a woman in the other. Ame grimaced.

"That's disgusting," she muttered, "fine, I'll stay in the room." She concluded with another quick glance at the people around them. Kaze received the key and then took Ame to a nearby table. They sat down and a pretty girl in a green dress came over to them, Kaze spoke with her but Ame wasn't listening. She was too intrigued, too shocked, too terrified of the people around her to say anything. "I should have transformed into a boy." She said quietly as she noticed how many strange looks she was receiving.

"You know when you glance at them more than twice that's pretty much an invitation." Kaze laughed; as he had said this Ame looked back at him with an open mouth and proceeded to avoid eye contact with anyone by shielding her face.

"How long must we stay here?" She sounded distressed.

"Just the night, tomorrow morning we'll be out of here in no time." Gaara said consolingly; she sure was scared of the strangest things. The pretty girl came back and handed Gaara a white bottle and small cup, to Ame she handed a cup or tea. They drank in silence for a while.

"What is that?" Ame asked, nodding towards the bottle.

"Nihonshu," Kaze replied and shook his head roughly to get hair away from his eyes.

"_Alcohol?" _Gaara almost spat out his drink; he swallowed quickly and then laughed. Ame had said the word as though it was the one most disgusting thing she'd heard of. She stared at him with her mouth open.

"Are you going to stare at me or lecture me?" He asked with a slight sigh.

"I'm not going to say anything," she held up her hands to show she meant no harm. Gaara nodded and continued to drink. "I mean really," she said quickly and Gaara sighed, "do you have no shame? To drink Nihonshu in front of a princess?" Again, he laughed at her.

"Let me remind you; you are no princess here," it was a little harsh but he was only teasing. "And until you somehow regain your title," he poured more drink into his cup and downed it in one. "You've never had alcohol before, have you?" She gasped dramatically.

"Of course not! It's improper and…smells foul." She lifted her head high with pride and Gaara pushed his cup to her.

"Go on," he said, nodding to the cup, "try some." She shook her head vigorously. "Listen, Ame," she looked to him quickly, "you're really strange. You talk of living your own life, being free of the chains your title builds around you but you still are so," he searched for the right word, "uptight."

"I am not!" She protested and eventually shrugged, "I am, but there are some things so ingrained in me that I can't get rid of them-"

"Like sleeping in the same room as a boy you are not married to?" She nodded, "or the consummation of alcohol?" She nodded again. "You are strange," he concluded. "Listen, I have to talk with the land lord; he'll know a faster way to Jin's house." Kaze stood up and Ame looked terrified that he was leaving. "I'll be back in ten minutes and until then," he went up to her and leant in close, "don't talk to anyone, don't have any drinks offered to you, don't make any eye contact, keep yourself to yourself. Got that?" Ame nodded. "I'm trusting you to remain uptight and un-fun for a good ten minutes, can you handle that?" Ame sneered at him and he smiled before walking away.

* * *

Ten minutes later, as promised, Gaara returned with a few scribbled notes from the land lord. He reached their table and put the papers in front of Ame, he smiled triumphantly at her…at least, where she would be. Ame was no where to be seen! He looked at the spot she was sat at uncomprehendingly and then for some reason checked under the table; perhaps she'd got scared and hid away? She wasn't under the table. He stood and the rising panic inside of him made his heart jump into his throat; he'd told her, hadn't he, not to go from that spot? He turned to the bar at large and then sighed as he spotted her; sat amongst five or six boys her age, talking fast and animatedly. Gaara walked over to her but then was puzzled as she raised a hand and beckoned him.

"And this is my friend Kaze!" She said slightly breathlessly and as Gaara approached he saw her cheeks were flushed. "Kaze," she whispered loudly, "I've decided I quite like this place!" She announced. Gaara groaned; she was drunk. Gaara's hand clenched into a fist; he had warned her hadn't he? "He's lovely," she said to a boy next to her and nodded to Kaze, "I mean he might be a complete moron half of the time but…he's got something special about him," she nodded wisely and hiccupped. The boys greeted Gaara with a nod but then there attention was back on Ame. "I love him," she said with teary eyes and stood up, she stumbled slightly as she pointed at Kaze, "I mean _really, _I do!" She shouted at him and sat down quickly as she got dizzy. "I also love this drink," she said, indicating the bottle with a shaking finger.

"OK Ame, whatever you say," he muttered and moved forwards to help her up, but before he could a boy stood up and got in his way.

"She's fine," the boy said and something inside of Gaara started to catch fire. Something he hadn't felt in a long time; hate and the ruthless desire to kill.

"Back off," Gaara said with equal venom, "she's with me." He said coolly but noticed behind the boy standing that another boy had his hand on Ame's thigh. Gaara's fist clenched hard until his nails dug into his skin, he could feel it, stirring inside of him; why was his demon so determined to protect her?

"Like I said," the boy whispered dangerously, "she's fine."

"You're not serious?" Gaara asked and bowed his head; all of a sudden a strange aura came around him as his power grew. "You're going to take me on?" The boys around Ame heard this, laughed, and stood to join their friend.

"Why not?" One of them jeered, "it's six of us against one of you." Gaara smirked and there was something unnerving about the way he stared at them.

"I think you'll find," he closed his eyes and opened them quickly, "there are two of me," the boys took a step back as the ocean coloured eyes had now turned brown. They looked at each other uneasily.

"You can have her!" They shouted and ran from the table. Ame was left looking after them, wondering where they'd run to. She shrugged and looked to Gaara. Her smile was wiped from her face. She had never seen him so angry, or so serious before. She cowered in her chair as he towered above her.

"What," he said slowly, "did I tell you not to do?!" He shouted at her, "I ask you one simple thing and you jeopardise everything?! What were you hoping to achieve?!" Gaara was so mad at her that he felt nothing when her bottom lip quivered as she looked at him. She mumbled something. "WHAT?!"

"To prove to you I wasn't uptight!" She shouted back and buried her face in her hands. Gaara kicked aside a stool to let some anger out and he'd forgotten how strong he was; the chair flew across the room and shattered against the wall. Ame jumped at the sound and simply started shaking. Seeing her sat on the chair with such a pitiful look made the spark go out of him. It was the first time she'd drunk and she seemed pretty out of it; she probably wouldn't remember this in the morning. "Ame," He said and went to help her stand. "Come on," he began to walk with her, "you need sleep." And so they made a long and arduous trek to their room, long and arduous because Ame seemed to have lost her balance completely. As he lay her down in the bed she fell asleep instantly and her transformation changed back to her usual self. No longer blonde but a dark haired princess lay before him. He sighed as he realised he'd have to remove her cloak. He did so as quietly and gently as possible, marvelling at how much material there was to her cloak. As he looked at her, asleep so peacefully, lost in dreams of goodness knows what, he realised that Ame was one of those people who just can't take being yelled at. She just wouldn't learn her lesson. Gaara looked at her again and blushed; there had been so much material because he'd accidentally removed the outer layers of her dress so she was sleeping in her petticoat. Damn, she'd spilt drink on her clothes and it had seeped through, right to her under garments. He looked at this and then his eyes travelled to her bag which was open; she'd thrown it to the floor and as she had many items had fallen out. One of these was lipstick. Gaara smiled. He knew how to teach her a lesson.

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Ame woke up to the worst head ache she'd ever experienced. She groaned and ran a hand through her hair before she realised she could hear bird song over the thumping sound in her brain. She opened her eyes and blinked in the harsh sunlight, sitting up she automatically reached for a glass of water by her side but it wasn't there. Still blinking she looked around and found that she did not know this place at all. She looked down and realised she was wearing a boy's shirt, dark red it was. She put a hand to her head and tried to remember. Kaze! That's what she remembered. Him holding her and telling her she'd be alright…now she was in a bed, wearing his shirt. No, no, it couldn't mean _that. _No way.

"Hmmm," she heard Kaze enter the room and put a tray of breakfast on the table besides her. She watched him in silence as he took a cup and drank from it, he looked at her in surprise, "oh you're up!" He said and then he walked to the window after putting the cup back down. He looked outside and turned back to her as she just stared at him. "You know, I never realised how beautiful you looked in the morning." He said and her mouth opened wider.

"Kaze," she said quietly but he wasn't listening.

"You should eat something, you must be really tired," he winked at her and jumped onto the bed, she pulled the duvet up to her neck. "What is it?" He asked with a smile.

"Last night," she said quickly, "did we…what happened?" He rolled over to her and she was shocked at how close they were, he put his lips to her ears and put a hand around her neck.

"Last night, we found our destiny," he whispered and Ame suddenly found she was having difficulty breathing. He drew away from her and nodded as she shook her head. "It was bound to happen," he said and kissed her cheek. Even he was surprised he did it. She put a hand to her cheek and felt her flesh burning where he'd touched her.

"You're joking, right?" She whispered and he held her face in her hands.

"Look into my eyes," he said sternly, "and tell me this love I have for you is a joke; that what we have isn't real!" He shouted dramatically. _OK, getting even harder to breathe. _"Tell me that when I touch you it doesn't feel right!" He said and embraced her.

"No, no, no!" Came the muffled shouts from his shirt. He pushed her away and looked at her intently, "no," she repeated.

"You think I'm lying?" He said with shock, "then tell me Ame, that these are not your lipstick stains over my body?" He threw of his shirt and as he did Ame backed away until her back hit the head board of the bed. She gasped and put a hand to her mouth as indeed on his chest were pink marks and she could smell the lipstick from a short distance.

"No," she whispered.

"Am I a liar?" He asked and then Ame did the unexpected. She took a few short, shuddering gasps. Whoops, he went too far. "No, Ame don't-" but it was too late, the princess had burst into tears. "Ame! No- I was joking!" He shouted over her wails as she dived under the blankets. "Look, I stole your lipstick!" He cried and took the lipstick from his pocket. "Ame, nothing happened!" He pulled her out of the blankets but she wouldn't stop crying. "Stop, stop, STOP!" he shouted and shook her, she was finally quiet. "It was a joke, I'm sorry." He said slowly so she could understand but her lip was still shivering as though she'd start crying again at any second. "I asked you not to drink last night or go with anyone and you went against me…when I was acting for your own good!" He shouted, "so I tried to teach you a lesson. But it seems I overstepped the mark, I apologise your highness." But she looked away from him again so he shook her once more to get her attention. "I know how dearly girls like you hold onto honour, whether it is for your father or husband or family. I also know what you think of me; a rogue would of course take advantage of you in this way. But I am no rogue, I am your friend." She looked straight into his eyes before embracing him. She did it so suddenly that he was taken aback.

"No more jokes like that," she whispered, "I'm sorry." She added quickly, "_please _don't do that again," she muttered and he hesitated before putting a hand on her hair and nodding. "I'll listen." For some bizarre reason Gaara had never felt guiltier in his life and you and I know Gaara had done much worse things. He knew she would've been upset but _that much? _She would not lie with any other man than her husband, Gaara had not thought about it before but in that moment decided he admired her for it. Why, he couldn't quite say- he just knew that if he were that man who had the princess to himself well then...wait, why was he thinking such ridiculous things? He'd _never _be that man.

"It's alright," he whispered into her hair and lowered his gaze almost in shame, "I'm sorry," he muttered. They sat for a while in embrace, Ame getting over the shock of what happened and Gaara slowly realising that having her in his arms like this was all he wanted, but no, it couldn't be. "We should go," he said and she nodded.

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**Yeah so hope you found it more amusing than anything! **


	9. A Girl Called Hisa

Hello, everybody! Well, here goes nothing...

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Ame had never experienced such intense silence as the one she was experiencing now. Memories of last night came back to her; she'd never seen _anyone _as angry as she had seen Kaze. It scared her, for when he was angry she felt something; like there was some other presence in the room feasting on Kaze's frustration. What was it? It was almost as if his shadow had become twisted and another person stood before her; it was not the same, care-free rogue she knew. She tried not to think too much about it as they walked side by side, in complete silence. Kaze occasionally looked over to her but said nothing, if they had to stop he would stop and Ame would imitate him. He figured she was just still a little shocked at the trick he'd played on her that morning. But then, if she remembered seeing him angry at her last night, she'd have seen the eyes of his demon staring back at her. He sighed; what had he gotten himself into? He'd never become close to anyone before, no one had ever broken him, and yet this clumsy princess was close to finding out everything! Although, there was a tiny part of him that found himself screaming inside his head to tell her everything about himself.

"Kaze?" It was the first time they had spoken since that morning, he turned to the princess who was not transformed anymore; she assured him no one would recognise her now that they were so far away from the palace. He said nothing to her but raised an eyebrow, an indication for her to continue. She simply nodded behind him slightly. He turned and put on a similar look of fascination that Almira had; a little way behind the trees of the forest they could see a building. Well, it was more a ruin, but as they approached they could see it was once a building of great worth. The architecture was stunning, with intricate flowers engraved into the stone work around the broken doorway. The walls were crumbling and great pieces of grey rock scattered the floor. "A temple." Ame said simply, she looked to him for permission and he nodded. She walked in slowly; marvelling at the beauty of what was left of the place. She entered a circular room where the walls had fallen away but one was left standing with a prayer inscription written in some ancient language Gaara could not read. But the princess seemed to understand for she reached out a hand and her fingers traced the symbols as she muttered under her breath.

"What does it say?" He spoke and made her jump.

"Those who reside here," Ame said and screwed up her face in concentration as she tried to figure it out, "bless this place with prayer..." she shook her head, "I can't make it out; the letters have eroded." She brought her hand away from the wall and sighed.

"I understand none of it; how can you read it?"

"I have known this language since I was little." She shrugged and Gaara nodded. He walked away from her and looked around the place; it must have been very beautiful when first opened. He turned back to Ame, "we have to..." His voice faded and he almost smiled. Ame had removed her bag from her shoulder and knelt down to pray. After a moment of looking at her and wondering how she could look so angelic simply by closing her eyes and bowing her head, he removed his bag and went to kneel next to her. Ame felt movement next to her and opened her right eye a fraction. She giggled silently as she saw Kaze next to her; he was almost very sweet when he wasn't sneering at her. She stood, for she had finished praying and took a step back. What was it, a rogue would pray for? To her it seemed like he had everything already; he spoken of family, he had freedom, so then what was it? After a few more moments Kaze stood, turned to Ame and blushed as he saw her smiling. "What is it you were asking for?" She asked as he picked up his bag. He avoided her eye and walked out of the forgotten temple, Ame followed after and stopped at the broken doorway. "Kaze!" She called to him, "I asked you what it was-"

"And I heard you, princess." He replied over his shoulder and still did not answer the question.

"And you have not answered." She called again and this time Gaara turned around. "What was it you prayed for?" She asked. Kaze smiled at her and shook his head.

"For you." He said suddenly. Ame stopped smiling as he walked over to her.

"You prayed..._for me?" _She said disbelievingly as Kaze nodded. He approached her smoothly as she looked at him in a whole new light. "Kaze..." She said and didn't know what to say so she just became embarrassed and looked away. He reached her and tilted her chin so she could look at him. He nodded once more;

"For you to leave me the hell alone so I can get on with my journey." He said quickly and she gasped before hitting him, "hey!" He shouted and hit her back before turning and running.

"You- get back here!" She shouted and with a smile, ran after him too.

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"No, no, no, Ame." Gaara said seriously, "it's not your sisters Lina that's going to ruin the good family name, it's you." Ame looked over to him sceptically.

"Why is that?" She asked and he sighed. They'd walked on for a while now and had returned. Thankfully, to the way things were. Talking of their lives, their hopes, their futures. Both silently thanking the tension had gone.

"Because Lina might be the one who chases after boys but you've done far worse." He pointed an accusatory finger to her and she put her hands on her hips.

"Oh?"

"Yeah, you go chasing after rogues." He said and heard her laugh. "Oh no." Ame heard Kaze say and she looked up at him; he was a fair way away now so she had to shout.

"What is it?" She called. He turned to her with a fake smile that made her nervous.

"Have you err-"

"Have I what? Speak faster." She said impatiently.

"Got over your fear of heights?" He asked and she gasped before running forwards.

"No." Was all she said when she looked past him. They'd been walking on a green field and over the brow of the hill, where Kaze was standing, was a bridge. It went over a river, a river of the worst kind with rocks and dark patches with shadows moving in the silent waters. "No," Ame said and took a step back.

"Oh come on!" Gaara encouraged, "it's fine-"

"Does that rickety bridge look fine to you?!" She said and was about to walk away when Kaze grabbed her hand and pulled her back.

"Come on," he said again and she sighed, "look, I'll even go first alright?" he said as she pouted but then she nodded at him. He let go of her and she massaged her wrist; he had a tight grip. Turning back to the bridge he took a breath before walking on. "Alright?" He called back.

"Alright!" She shouted and walked on. This was easy. So long as she didn't look down it was easy. She kept her eyes on the bag of Kaze's crimson waves of hair.

"You know," Kaze called back to her, "there are no leaves or blossoms around to save you if you fall this time-"

"Oh, be qui- ah!" Gaara turned quickly as he heard her small scream. He sighed as he saw her simply sat down on the planks of the bridge. He walked over to her and held out a hand to help her up but her face showed she was in pain. "My foot," she muttered and he looked down to see it had become trapped between two planks of wood. She shifted to pull her foot out and as she did she cried out.

"Ame," Gaara said and knelt down to her, "can you walk?" He asked and helped her up, she winced from the pain and Gaara smiled as her eyes welled up.

"It's not funny." She muttered and tried to take a step forwards but shook her head and bit her bottom lip. "It hurts." She said quietly.

"Ok," he muttered and thought for a moment as he supported her. He knelt again and picked up her bag before swinging it over his shoulder. "Let's go," he said and before asking her anything he picked her up.

"Hey!" She said but found that when he looked down into her eyes she was speechless.

"We'll stop at the next village." He said quietly to her and all she did was nod, still lost for words.

"Are you OK to carry me like this, all the way?" She asked and he nodded.

"You're lighter than your bag." He said. And she bowed her head as she became shy. "Which is a surprise considering how much you eat." She gritted her teeth.

"I dislike you." She said firmly. "Immensely."

"I know."

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Ame had fallen asleep in Gaara's arms. He didn't mind, although he did miss their conversation. She was very peaceful, with her head leant against his chest. He smiled down at her as he saw the village lights appearing in the distance. It was a small village, consisting of about 50 people in the centre but then many scattered in houses around that. He first walked by some small houses from which people came out and waved, he smiled at them but felt slightly embarrassed. Eventually someone came up to him, an old woman in white clothes greeted him with a small.

"Wanderer," she said in a gruff voice, "come, meet with the head of the village," she put a hand on Gaara's arm and walked with him. "Then you can put your princess to a bed and talk with us." She said and Gaara shook his head.

"She's not a princess." He said quickly and the woman laughed.

"Young man, every girl is. Even I am." She laughed again and Gaara joined her. Eventually many people lit lanterns and walked with them to the biggest house in the centre of the village. I say biggest but that's not saying much, it was still quite small to Gaara, he wondered what Ame would think when she saw the place. A man, ageing but with spirit, walked out of the house and greeted Gaara with a hug as though he'd known him all his life. Gaara blushed and jumped as the man's booming laugh echoed around the village when he looked down to Ame. She opened her eyes slightly before gasping as the man looked down at her.

"CONGRATULATIONS!" He shouted at them both. _Gosh, he has a loud voice, _Ame thought. A woman walked out after him, timid looking and a lot quieter, she walked up to Gaara and Ame with a smile.

"Why're you congratulating them, dearest?" She asked and he embraced her.

"Isn't it obvious?!" He shouted again and Ame winced as her ears hurt. "They're newlyweds." He said in an almost proud manner and the many people gathered shouted congratulatory remarks. Gaara and Ame look at each other for a moment, then to the villagers, then to each other. Before they burst into fits of laughter in which Gaara almost dropped the princess. The villagers looked on in surprise and the head of the village raised an eyebrow and looked down to his wife. "They must have a good relationship." He said wisely, which just made Ame and Gaara laugh harder. After a while Gaara put Ame down but still supported her.

"No, Sir." Gaara said as Ame still giggled, "my _friend,_" he stressed the word, "has hurt her foot-"

"You dared hurt a woman, boy?!" The man shouted; clearly he had misheard.

"No!" Gaara said quickly, "_she _hurt her own foot!" He said. The man stopped advancing to Gaara.

"Why would anyone hurt their own foot?" The wife asked.

"Well, it's more my ankle." Ame said, looking down to a now swollen ankle.

"Why would you hurt your own ankle?" The man asked and Ame and Gaara shook their heads.

"No, it was an accident." Ame assured him. "And we'd be grateful if you'd let us reside in your village for a while?" Ame asked sweetly and the man smiled at her.

"Of course!" He said and then shouted at the village to prepare a feast.

"No, that's very kind of you but-"

"Nonsense!" He said and dismissed Gaara's remark with a wave of his hand. "We will celebrate your marriage!" He announced before his wife tapped his shoulder. He turned to her and nodded. "Oh that's right, you're not married." He winked at Gaara and Ame turned her laughter into a coughing fit. "Well we will celebrate anyway!" He said to the village at large that had already lit a bonfire.

"Come here, children." The wife of the leader said and Gaara helped Ame walk forwards. "You will rest until dinner," she said thoughtfully and put a hand to each of their faces, "someone will look at your ankle," she nodded to Ame who smiled gratefully. "Until then you may reside in a place near here- HISA!" The woman shouted and Gaara and Ame winced; did everyone here shout loudly? A girl, around Ame and Gaara's age walked over to them. She was very pretty, with dark eyes and hair and light skin. "This is my daughter," she nodded to Shinju who bowed to them both, Ame bowed back but then had to elbow Gaara in the ribs to get him to stop staring at the girl and bow in return. "Hisa take them to our guest house. The call for a healer to this girl's side." She instructed and the girl smiled before looking Gaara up and down and beckoning them with a finger to follow. Gaara smiled nervously and Ame looked from him to Hisa; what exactly was happening here?

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**I hate her already. -_-**

**Be kind. Review. **


	10. The Feast

**Alright, next chapter!**

**Let's do this.

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**"Your ankle should be fine in a couple of days." The healer said to Ame who looked distraught.

"A couple of days?" She muttered to herself, "thank you very much for your help." The healer, an ageing man with thick rimmed glasses nodded to her.

"It was a pleasure." He stood up and left the room. Ame and Gaara looked at each other, both thinking of what they should do.

"I'll send word to Jin's family." Kaze said wearily and stood to take out paper from his bag to begin writing the letter. Ame and Kaze were in a small bedroom in the house that belonged to the head of the village. The loud, large and happy faced man they had met earlier and his wife, the timid, little lady who was with him. The room was small because it was full of random items that looked like junk to Kaze but Ame marvelled at it all because they were items that dated back centuries. It was as if this one room was trying to preserve the history of the kingdom in this tiny space. The double bed on which Ame was sat on looked like it once belonged to a royal palace for it was a four poster bed with deep red, velvet curtains. Kaze had been sat on a chair that seemed like a throne, gold and far larger than himself it was. Hisa, the daughter of the head of the village, had brought them here and sent a healer, where she was now neither knew. They could hear the goings on outside; the village was busy preparing a feast for them. People were laughing and talking loudly outside their room and eventually the door opened and Hisa's mother walked in. She came straight up to Ame and put a hand on her forehead, the princess was surprised by this; they were strangers and yet she was treated as though part of the family.

"Well you haven't got a fever or any other signs of illness." The woman muttered and Ame beamed up at her, "perhaps over dinner you can tell us where you are travelling to, I'm sure my husband can help you find an easy route," she added as she looked to Kaze. "A letter?" Gaara looked up and blushed; there was something almost motherly about the woman, it was an affection he wasn't used to.

"I must tell the people we are travelling to that we will be set back for a few days." He said and put his head down to continue writing.

"Well you both must come outside in a few hours for the feast." She said comfortingly before turning back to Ame and brushing her hair back from her face, "rest now." She walked over to Kaze and put a hand on his chin to tilt his head towards her.

"Wha…" Kaze began but realised it would be rude to talk like that to an elder, especially one who was so nice. She checked his forehead too and his eyes before nodding in satisfaction.

"You're fine." She concluded. "You both sleep for a while and Hisa will come and get you." She left the room and Kaze put the letter down on a table next to him.

"She's nice." Ame said nonchalantly and Kaze nodded at her.

"I'll ask for a bird to send the letter with a little later." He said and she nodded at him. "For now, sleep doesn't seem so bad." He tried to get comfortable in the throne like chair but looked up to Ame as she laughed. "What?"

"Lie here," she indicated with a nod a place beside her on the bed.

"No," he said simply.

"Why not?" She sounded offended and he almost laughed at her.

"You didn't want to sleep in the same room as me and now you want me to sleep in the same bed? I think you _are_ ill." He murmured and raised an eyebrow as Ame laughed again.

"Those times," she began slowly, wondering how to go on, "I did not trust you." She said bluntly, "but now, there's no one in the world I trust more than you." There was a moment of silence in which Kaze seemed to be thinking this through, "besides," Ame added quickly, "you're more tired than me; you had to carry me all this way." She shrugged and he nodded; he was exhausted from carrying her all the way here without stopping. He approached the bed and sat down next to Ame and all of a sudden both found they were nervous. They looked at each other and laughed; what was there to be so nervous about? Kaze lay down on the bed beside Ame but was so tired that as soon as his head touched the pillow he closed his eyes and fell asleep. "Ka…" Ame fell quiet as she turned to him and saw he was lost in his dreams. And for a moment, or even just a part of a moment, she found herself wondering what it would be like, in different circumstances to be able to touch his porcelain like skin. She shook herself out of it and put her head down to rest too, unknowing that Kaze's dreams were only of that violet eyed princess.

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"They are very sweet kids."

"They remind me of me and you when we were young!"

"Keep your voice down dearest; you'll wake them!" But Gaara was already awake and could hear the head of the village and his wife talking above him. But he could also feel a weight on his chest. He was still too tired to open his eyes so put his hand there to throw the weight off his chest. After a moment he heard someone else call out.

"Get off!" Ame cried as someone's hand hit her face. She pushed it away and went back to sleeping.

"On second thoughts, our relationship was never this strange." Ame and Gaara opened their eyes, realising what was going on. They both looked up to see the head of the village and his wife looking at them with identical expressions of confusion and amusement. Then Ame looked to her "pillow" but instead came across the dark red robes that belonged to Kaze, she gulped and her eyes trailed up to his face where she was met with a similar look of horror.

"Sorry!" Ame shouted and sat up, blushing furiously. Kaze sat up too after getting over the shock and both looked up guiltily to the two adults. In the lamplight of the room they finally got a good look of the head of the village. He was still huge, with a loud voice but his face was welcoming and, it was laughable, he was the complete opposite of his wife. He, tall and muscular with dark hair, she, short and thin with fair hair but at this moment both had identical twinkles in their eyes.

"I thought you said you were friends?" The man asked and towered above them with a sly grin.

"We are," Kaze said quickly.

"Nothing more," Ame added. The man was about to say more but his wife put a hand on his shoulder to stop him.

"Well alright then." He said as though they had ended the conversation but Ame turned scarlet as he winked at her. "We have not yet introduced ourselves," he put a large hand to himself, "I am Mamoru, and this," he put an arm around his wife who smiled shyly, "is the love of my life, Uta." Ame silently _aww-ed _as it was sweet to think they had been together so long and were still so in love.

"I'm Kaze," Ame looked to him as he spoke in a rather deep, mature voice.

"And I am Ame." As Almira said this Mamoru and Uta looked at her with a sceptical grin before beginning to laugh. Kaze and the princess looked to each other for some form of explanation.

"The wind and the rain, travelling together?" Mamoru said and his booming laugh rang in their ears. _(A/N: Remember, Kaze means wind and Ame means rain…XD). _"That's brilliant." He wiped a tear from his cheek and looked to the doorway as he heard someone enter. "And this is my favourite daughter, Hisa." He said, pointing to her where she stood with an embarrassed smile and she waved from the doorway.

"I'm also his _only _daughter." She muttered. Ame and Kaze put up hands to acknowledge her greeting and Mamoru laughed again.

"Well, the feast is ready and the rest of the village want to meet you!" He exclaimed and the two teenagers nodded encouragingly; trying to forget the embarrassment of the moment before.

"Come here my dear," Uta beckoned Ame towards her, "I will give you new clothes." And so the general conversation of Ame refusing out of politeness and the woman insisting out of courtesy, ensued as the woman supported Ame out of the room. Hisa turned to the door but stopped, looked back at Gaara, flashed a smile at him and left. Gaara suddenly felt very warm and blushed as Mamoru coughed pointedly.

"You know," Mamoru said after a few moments and sat down next to Gaara, "if you and Ame don't want to be mistaken for lovers there's one thing you should not do." He said and Kaze smiled at his sarcastic tone.

"Not sleep in the same bed as her?" He asked and the man patted his shoulder before standing up.

"No," he said simply, "just stop looking at her like that." He said wisely before moving away, leaving Gaara rubbing his shoulder, wondering what the old man meant.

* * *

Everyone in the village was gathered outside under the starry skies and the air was sweet with the scent of flowers growing in random bunches about the place. There was a large bonfire in the middle of the village square and it cast a soothing orange glow onto everything around it. More light was added by lanterns children had hung up in the doorways of houses and the sound of laughter and chatter filled the night air. Around the bonfire, in a semi-circle, on the floor they had placed low tables to eat from and there was indeed lots of food made by the women of the village. Just what there was to celebrate Ame and Kaze did not know, but they were incredibly grateful for the hospitality.

"So you are travelling to see friends?" Mamoru inquired and Kaze, who was sat on his right, nodded. Ame was sat on Mamoru's left and was deep in conversation with a boy of the village.

"It's going to be a lot of hard work but it will be worth it." The boy, two years older than Ame, talked in a deep voice so she had to lean in to hear.

"It sounds like a brilliant idea, but where are your funds coming from?" She asked; the boy had told her of the village's plans to build a school inside the village, rather than have the children travel so far everyday.

"We're not sure," Mamoru joined the conversation and Gaara peered round him to see Ame and the boy. He had to admit that she looked wonderful in the new dress they had given her; almost like her old self. She looked so much like a princess, as she sat with her back straight, eating little, talking quietly as a princess does, that many people had begun referring to her as "your highness," and other such titles. In fact it had only been a few hours but Kaze and Ame had already seemed to have joined the large family-like community. Ame wore a dress of bright pink and, although she'd refused several times, they'd insisted she wore gems the colour of Kaze's eyes. "See, times are tough for little villages like ours." Ame's smile faded as she noted the melancholy tone the man used, "sure we do our part-"

"Ask the Royal family for funding." Ame said quickly and there was silence on their section of the table before Mamoru and the boy laughed.

"You think they will help us?" The man asked and Ame smiled.

"I'm sure of it!" Mamoru patted her back affectionately and when he glanced at Kaze she winced from the pain but stopped as he turned back to her.

"I like you." He said suddenly, "you may stay here until your ankle heals fully!" He announced and everyone cheered. Ame and Kaze thanked him before they heard more cheering happening and looked around the bonfire to see a group of girls walking towards them; the one leading was wearing red and the rest were in dresses of dark blue. _(A/N: I'm really sorry for what's about to happen…really sorry. I was having withdrawal symptoms I guess.) _On closer inspection the red dress that the girl was wearing was far more decorative, with patterns of white and gold woven intricately into the design. More jewellery than even Ame had ever worn, adorned the girl with red and white stones melted into the gold. "Hisa," Mamoru said quietly and both Ame and Kaze gasped and leant in closer to see that indeed, behind the shimmering stones was the pretty face of Hisa. "You are going to entertain?" Hisa nodded and her father looked rather sceptical.

"Oh let her," her mother said as she walked by, "she's practised all day." Mamoru watched Uta walk away with a surprisingly seductive gait for a woman of her age, before nodding to Hisa. She smiled and ran gratefully to her father before embracing him. She let go and before walking away she turned to Kaze who jumped as she looked at him with an almost hungry stare.

"It is tradition, for an honoured guest to place this bangle," she held up a thin gold bangle, "unto the dancer." She said sweetly and Gaara was taken aback; he'd had affection from girls before but never so publicly. Perhaps, if she knew who he really was she wouldn't try to pursue him. Nevertheless he nodded, moved forwards and opened the catch on the bangle before placing it on her.

"You know," Mamoru whispered to Ame as he leant over to her, "if you don't want people to think you like him you should stop looking so offended." Ame's eyes widened, she looked quickly away from Kaze and shut her mouth as it had hung open when Hisa began to giggle at Kaze's touch.

* * *

**I'm sorry OK! It won't be another Romancing the Kazekage or Desert Flower, or whatever else I've written where it was a freaking musical. I just haven't written a song/poetry-ness in soooo long and was like- I sure do miss it! And don't anyone say- why didn't you just put it in DF? Because…I just didn't OK? Oh, the shame. **

**Help me. Review. **


	11. Tear Up the Moonlight

**No one noticed a really big "mistake" in the last chapter XD**

**I guess it's because I'm cool XP

* * *

**Ame tried very hard to pretend she wasn't looking but cast a glance over to Kaze as Hisa walked away to the centre of the gathered crowd so she had the backdrop of the bonfire. The other women all took places behind her and Ame leant passed Mamoru to see many men sat on the balcony of a nearby house, each with a different instrument. After a few moments the talking of the gathered crowd died down and Mamoru tilted Ame's chin so she looked to the dancers, nothing else. She blushed as she saw him smiling in that _I-know-all _type of way. Before the string instruments struck the first note she glanced at Kaze and something seemed to sink inside of her as she saw he was already mesmerised. Hisa turned away from them with a sly smile, her jewels glittering in the firelight, and she sang to the flames in front of her. (_A/N: Women sing in italics…Hisa sings _normal_.)_

"His ruthless gaze tore up the moonlight," she sang and even Ame was surprised at how good she sounded but still the princess found it wasn't entirely appropriate for a girl to dance like this. Well, at least it wasn't her job, if you catch my meaning. "His ruthless gaze took me apart; it ran a razor's edge down the side of my heart."She laughed as the drums started and cheering came from the crowds; Ame and Kaze, who were both unfamiliar to the formalities of village life, simply smiled politely as Hisa turned back and bit her lip. "I fall to restless pieces when you look at me that way," she pointed to Kaze as the other women danced. Mamoru reached over and shut Ame's mouth for her. "Don't you know there is a town full of men, in ruin, that surrenders to what I say?" There was a pause in the music where the woman all rolled their eyes and the audience laughed, "callous strangers no nothing." She sang mercilessly before laughing.

_"The moon sleeps inside the darkness of my eyes," _the women sang and Ame found even herself become enchanted with the sounds of tinkling from their jewellery. "_These secrets you swear you wrote them in my heart; they come to life in these eyes." _

"My words are like wisps of smoke from the incense," Hisa called to the star filled sky, "I walk so seductively like the warm winds and you know the magic I can cast on you will drive you to insanity." She came close to Ame before changing her mind and walking to Kaze where she sat down but did not look at him. "I hear he has left a trail of broken hearts. His light eyes take me by surprise; they look so innocent but I know what he has done." She looked to him and smiled at the look on his face, even Ame laughed; Kaze looked completely dumbfounded.

With a hidden glance to Kaze again, Hisa ran to the women and as soon as she did everyone in the village was on their feet and dancing to the music. Ame and Kaze found themselves hoisted to their feet and become engulfed by the dancing mass. Shouts of celebratory joy echoed around them and they could hear Hisa singing still;

"Come, shut your doors, the thief is here to steal hearts!" Ame laughed as Mamoru tried to loosen her arms to dance but she shook her head; she just wasn't that type of girl. Eventually Ame and Kaze found themselves walking out of the dance, on the edge of the crowd and it took a while for them to realise they were next to each other for they were just staring in wonderment at the spectacle in front of them. They caught each other's eye and laughed at their predicament; although they didn't really fit in to the moment they were still taken by the strange joyous feeling in the air.

"They certainly are a lively bunch." Ame said and Kaze looked to her and they both laughed nervously.

"Kaze!" They heard someone call and looked to their right to see a group of men, including Mamoru, beckoning him with their hands.

"Ame!" They looked to their left and saw a group of women, including Uta, beckoning her with their fingers. Ame and Kaze turned to each other quickly.

"Bye!" They smiled to each other before moving away. Ame took a few steps until something dragged her back. She felt something tugging at her sleeve and so turned to see Kaze's face a few inches from hers; she jumped back in surprise and looked at Kaze with scrutiny. The boy sighed and held up his hand, as he did her wrist was dragged up too and she smiled; just like when they had fought in the palace gardens, a thread of his clothing had attached to her bangle. They laughed as she drew his hand towards her eyes so she could see properly in the dim streaks of light shining through the crowd beside them. He looked on at her, her face illuminated by golden light, a look of pained concentration struck her features as she unhooked the material from her bangle. "Bye," they said again and moved away but once more, painfully, for she was almost choked, Ame was drawn back to him. She put a hand on her necklace as she felt it being tightened around her neck and turned to him. She blushed as she realised that it was a thread from his shoulder attached to her necklace, meaning he had to bend down slightly to unlock the thread from the gold and doing that meant he came ever so close to her. She was going to push him away automatically but as he leant in, almost on purpose, he moved his lips very close to hers and Almira found her eyes locked on his lips. And something strange came over her, a desire she'd never really felt before, a desire for his arms to wrap around her and his lips to brush hers-

"Done." He whispered in her ear and she jumped out of her thoughts. A little way away, the group of women with Uta watched the pair with sly smiles. They knew that look that had crossed Ame's face and the game that Kaze was playing. They laughed as Ame stood uncertainly, looking from Kaze to the ground as though trying to work something out.

"I thought they were just friends?" A woman said as she leant forwards in the group to speak with Uta. Uta smiled as Ame walked towards them and under her breath she spoke to the group.

"They deny what is clear to us all," she said sadly, "there are divides between them that even they cannot cross-"

"Divides?" A little girl came and sat in Uta's lap and looked up to her.

"Put into place by forces they do not control," she said wisely. "It is evident, that the girl is of aristocracy," everyone laughed; it was very clear they were of different upbringings. "And we have at least _heard _of what life is like for those girls." Everyone nodded and Uta continued in her wise tone, "It is a shame; I have never seen two people so tragically in love." Everyone shook their heads.

"But what of you and Mamoru-san?" Another woman asked and everyone smiled, "you two were the love story that turned to legend for this village," at this being said Uta rolled her eyes and pointed to her husband as Ame sat next to her.

"That oaf?" She leant over to Ame and whispered, "never fall for a man who can substitute you with a bottle and some cards," Ame smiled.

"I'm sure that is not true," the princess said, "he talks as though you are his very life," she whispered and the women followed Ame's gaze and as they did they smiled as they found nothing was in her sight but Kaze.

"Come, Ame," Uta said suddenly, "I bet you are a girl who perhaps could even beat _me_ at Shogi?" _(A/N: Japanese Chess) _She asked and Ame nodded; she often played with her tutors. And so most of the night passed with lazy conversation, too many drinks and stolen glances. The village seemed to come alive at night time, no one wanted to sleep but to stay in each other's company forever. It was a strange freedom for both Kaze and Ame but soon it was stolen for the first rays of sunlight could be seen over the hilltops and Mamoru called to the village to sleep and wake up sometime tomorrow. The Princess and Rogue said their goodbyes and goodnights before retiring to their room. Ame entered after Kaze and stopped at the doorway as he had his back to her and she knocked. He turned to her with a slight grin.

"What?" She asked with a laugh but then realised someone had spoken at the same time; she turned to her right and lowered her gaze as she saw Hisa stood there. The other girl smiled at Ame before appraising Kaze.

"You never said goodnight to me," Hisa said softly and Ame found it strange that she did not know whether to laugh or cry when Kaze smiled at Hisa.

"Goodnight," he said and Hisa nodded before leaving. At the door she stopped and put a hand on Almira's shoulder.

"Goodnight Ame," she said and Ame simply stared at her. There was a moment of silence after the sound of Hisa's footsteps died down. Ame was, for no reason, angry with Kaze and refused to look at him as she entered the room and removed her earrings.

"Ouch," he said quietly and Ame rolled her eyes as she could just hear in his voice that he was going to tease her.

"What?" She said sharply and practically threw her bracelet to the table.

"That look you gave…Hey- woah, woah!" He grabbed her wrist as she went to throw her other bracelet. She struggled for a moment to remove her wrist from his grasp but he was too strong. Once she stopped struggling she simply looked up at him with angered eyes, they stared at each other with confused emotions, neither certain what it was they were feeling. "Shhh," he said as though to calm her and he retrieved the bangle from her hand before putting it on the table gently. "There's no need to take jealousy out on these jewels." He said and she scoffed.

"_Jealousy?" _She laughed, "what would I be jealous of?" She turned to him sharply and he thought she was going to hit him.

"Hisa," he spoke the one word and Ame shook her head with a smile before handing him her necklace.

"Oh, you mean like," She thought quickly, "how you're jealous of Jin?" She regretted it as soon as she said it; what was she thinking?

"What does that mean?" Kaze asked and she shrugged.

"Nothing," she said quietly and walked to the bed where a few towels were put for them. She picked one up, "_nothing," _she turned back to him and spoke more adamantly. They locked eyes and stared at each other but there was always something about Kaze's light coloured, glassy eyes that gave the impression that he could look straight into her soul. "I'm going to have a bath." Ame said and broke their connection.

"A bath?" Kaze said after a few moments.

"Yes, there's a hot spring on the outskirts of the village that Mamoru said I can use." She said quickly and walked to the door, Kaze noticed she was still limping slightly.

"Are you going to be-"

"I'll be fine!" She called from the doorway and Kaze tilted his head to watch her figure walking out into the first sunshine of the morning. He sighed, turned back to the bed and hit his head with his hand. "Idiot!" He said to himself before practically falling on to the bed. He lay there thinking about what he'd said, about what a fool he'd been to say those things.

"Kaze?" he sat up to the sound of Mamoru calling him and looked to the doorway, indeed the man was stood there, watching the boy with much interest. Kaze stood as a sign of respect for the elder. "Keep your seat," Mamoru said and came to sit on the chair next to the bed. "This chase," the man said quietly, "is a farce." His ageing eyes looked at Kaze and he saw the boy did not understand. "Do you love Ame?" He said simply. Kaze blushed and tried to look offended as though it were ridiculous to even mention such a thing. "Tell me then," the man continued, "the place where sunlight shines from, the place where the moonlight dwells; do you know them?" Kaze shook his head, "now think of Ame," Kaze thought about her. About how wonderful she was with her teasing smile and violet eyes. About how close they were to one another, but so very far away. "Do you know them now?" Mamoru whispered.

"Every inch of them." Gaara said certainly.

"The place where all colour is crafted?" Mamoru leant forwards to hear Kaze's whisper.

"I know it."

"The place where the essence of beauty is captured-"

"These are all places she has taken me!" Kaze said exasperatedly and to Mamoru's surprise the boy seemed more angry than happy with this realisation. "These are places I go when she simply looks at me!" He rubbed his eyes; thinking about his impossible situation just made his head hurt.

"Then?" The old man prompted Gaara whose eyes danced, searching for a conclusion.

"I love her more than anything I have ever known, or anything I ever will know." Gaara said and as he did he could feel a rush of confidence, an exhilarating feeling ignited in his veins as he finally admitted it to himself.

"Then?" Mamoru said again and now Gaara was stuck, his eyes travelled back to the old man.

"Then?" As Kaze said this Mamoru took his arm and hoisted him from the bed and stood with him.

"You go and tell her!" He encouraged and Kaze nodded quickly.

"Right," Gaara walked to the door, "go and tell….she's having a bath." Kaze said and turned back to the old man who simply raised an eyebrow. Kaze thought about it and shrugged, "so I'll just go tell her." He said with a smile and walked out of the room. "Thank you!" Mamoru heard Kaze call. The old man rubbed his eyes; he was too old, too tired for this sort of thing. Why couldn't the youth just sort themselves out? He thought of Hisa; he saw the interest she had in Kaze but he could not let her fall for a boy whose heart did not belong to him anymore.

"Dearest?" Mamoru heard at the window and went to open it, his wife stood, a sad look on her face.

"Yes, beloved?" He asked, she sighed and leant against the window ledge.

"Are you sure you're helping them?" She asked and put a hand on his arm. He smiled at her.

"There was nothing to help with; that boy is just a bit of an idiot." Uta nodded.

"The girl too." Mamoru raised an eyebrow and she nodded. "What is it with kids these days, they do not understand that love is not one to pay attention to any boundaries or divides?" She asked and Mamoru shrugged, "let us go to bed." She said with a yawn and Mamoru nodded. He left the room and met his wife outside where they walked hand in hand towards the rising sun.

"I hope things turn out alright for those two." Uta said sadly and her husband nodded.

"Everyone must go through heartache though, before they understand love." He said wisely and Uta looked at him with an enquiring glance.

"Since when did you talk in such prose?" She asked and almost cried out as he picked her up.

"Since I found you." He said and she fell asleep in his arms as he took her home.

* * *

**Ok, so, the next chapter was actually the first idea that came to me to write this fic…as in the way Gaara and Ame are like- I REALLY like you! So hopefully it'll turn out alright.**

**Also, thanks for bearing with me on the tune-age…I really had to get that off my chest! **

**AND- Happy Valentine's Day!**

**Hope you had a lovely time whatever you were doing! Me? I spent all day baking heart shaped cupcakes with pink icing. ****J **

**You guys can have some too! Share the love!**


	12. By the Spring

**Are you ready for the romance people?! **

**Ok, ruining the mood…sorry, I'll be quiet.

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**Those stars were fading, turning into the same dark blue hue that adorned that sky they were scattered across. There was a fragrance on the air that drifted from the orchards nearby, filled with jasmine flowers and pear trees. The sounds of the morning, birdsong and the whistle of the wind between the branches, were all the princess could hear as she walked away from the village. Carrying only a towel, a jug and her injury from the bridge she noticed that the smooth landscape of greenery and trees was soon being exchanged for bright coloured flowers and rocks. The air was becoming humid so she could tell she was near the springs and although the place, with sunlight glistening from the water as it trickled downstream beside her, was beautiful, it did nothing to lift the princess' mood. She kicked a small stone out of her path, all the while cursing under her breath. Something about a boy with red hair, she spoke of him and only him; failing to see it was her denial that was fuelling her frustration.

Almira was told the spring was nearby and that it was isolated from view, she'd listened to Mamoru on how to get there and stopped to look around. After a moment of scanning the scene before her she saw the curtain-like branched of the willow tree that Mamoru said acted as a "door" to the spring. He had been right; it was difficult to spot but she could see the lantern attached the rock that she had been told about. She was to light it to signal to everyone outside that the spring was being used. She approached the lantern, struck the match on the rock and lit the candle inside the glass box. Closing the door to the box she turned and used a hand to lift the "curtain" up and peer inside. She gasped; it was stunning. The spring was circular shaped, on one side it was blocked from view by trees and flowers of more colours than Ame had ever seen, all twisted around each other to form a wall of green and flowers. The willow tree was next to her and on the other side of the "wall" was the opening of a cave. But blocking the cave was a small waterfall; the warm water cascaded into the spring and she could see the steam rising above the surface before disappearing. She walked in and removed her shoes, looking down to her feet she could see her ankle was not that swollen but it still hurt slightly. She saw that the villagers had made the spring almost like a bathhouse and she smiled when she saw a small towel rack, a sink, some more golden jugs and a few robes. Ame put her things down to one side and walked around the spring for it was almost too wonderfully peaceful to break the water of the spring. She circled the spring, reached out a hand to touch the flowers lightly and stopped when she came to the waterfall. She could walk right under the waterfall for there was a bridge of rock. It was not very loud and the sound of rushing water soothed her; this was almost as wonderful as when Kaze had taken her to the stars-

"No!" Ame said out loud; she didn't want to think about Kaze because thinking just brought her closer to the realisation that- "No, no, no." She shook her head and walked into the waterfall, as though somehow the water could wash away all of these thoughts. She was still fully dressed and she still had all of her jewellery on. Her pink dress became dark in the water and clung to her body, the jewels of light green glistened more as droplets of water fell on them and caught the sunshine. Her long dark waves of hair stuck to her body and plastered her face as she just stood there, letting the water pour onto her. It wasn't very forceful, nor a large amount of water, but she wanted enough to block out these thoughts. "What's happening here?" She asked herself under her breath and roughly pushed her hair away from her forehead. "I feel so lost," she whispered and it felt good, with no one around, to finally be able to talk openly about her feelings. "Why do I even feel this way?" She shook her head and water fell around her. "Lost in this deserted wilderness," she turned around and pretended she was talking to her tutor, the only one who ever let her speak her mind. He taught her the art of speaking, language and poetry. "It is like," she searched for something as absurd as this, "the waves of the ocean have a thirst that is not satisfied." She rolled her eyes, "now language cannot even give meaning to this feeling." She looked to her left and saw the inside of the cave, pointing to it she took another breath, "there, in the darkness, there is a desire I have never felt before." She saw, in the darkness, something like a flicker of light, she lowered her finger, bowed her head and she knew she couldn't deny it any longer. "Fallen," she whispered, "I have fallen for him." She said and shook her head once more. "For so long," she blinked away tears, she didn't know why she was so upset but she was, "I have stood so far away. But it is like the moon and the stars have fallen too. There's a storm of my memories telling me not to get close but now, I do not know what to do." She wiped her eyes even though water from the small waterfall was washing them away. "There is a cold wind burning me," she sighed a shuddering sigh, "but I don't want it to stop. I-"

She stopped speaking, her body stiffened and her eyes widened; someone's arms had wrapped around her midriff and she did not need to ask who it was, she knew his touch so well. She felt his hand move to her neck and brush her hair to one side, her breathing deepened as she felt, between the water trickling on his skin, his breath on her skin as he blew lightly from her shoulder to her neck. She looked the other way and shut her eyes.

"Beyond the intimacy of these moments," he whispered to her and her brow furrowed; there was some melancholy quality to his voice. "There is something almost sacred about our meeting." He moved her face to the other side so she could look at him but she still had her eyes shut tightly. "The Earth is standing in silence," he whispered and smiled as he saw her shiver when his hand when from her cheek to her neck. "Even the sky is amazed," she smiled as she could hear in his voice that even he was shocked by her revelations. "From your beauty a dazzling illumination stretches to the horizon." She smiled broadly and he did, for the millionth time, marvel at how beautiful she was, at how her skin glowed when he brushed it and, if she'd open them, the sparkle of her eyes. He took hold of her shoulders and turned her around so they were face to face but still she kept her gaze lowered. "When you are with me," he tilted her chin so her gaze was on him and she smiled at Gaara, "there is a melody caught in the breeze." He said and they both closed their eyes as he kissed her forehead.

"There is a beauty," she agreed, "in it's every elegant movement." She looked him straight in the eye and saw that the water fell onto his body, causing the red robes to become darker, his hair plastered his forehead and droplets were caught on his eyelashes and lips. His light eyes appraised her intently and his embrace welcomed her. "Kaze," she whispered and put her head against his chest, he embraced her and they stood, in the pouring water, in each others' arms.

"Almira," Gaara said and smiled as the relief of this moment came over him; he had never loved anyone in his life. Never as intensely or righteously or deeply as he loved her. "Almira?" He asked for he could feel her body shaking against him; she was crying. He pulled her with him out from under the waterfall and they stood for a few moments in the humid air, waiting for her to speak. She drew away from him and he saw her eyes were slightly red. "Ame," he leant forwards to her lips but simply skimmed her skin beside them before kissing her cheek. "What's wrong?" He asked her.

"I cannot love you." She said and as she did he pulled her, if it were physically possible, closer into his arms.

"You do not understand." He said softly. "Everything I know has been tainted by you," he said sternly, "_everything." _She shook her head and he held her face to stop her movement. "In the garden of my dreams, you have brought the most beautiful Spring." He whispered, "the colours of the flowers belong to me, but the fragrance of those flowers are from you." She laughed; she understood what he meant; their worlds had become one thing, so defined from everything else that breaking them apart would be impossible.

"I _cannot-"_

"It's too late," Gaara said stubbornly, "it's not up to you."

"No…" she said weakly as he moved down to kiss her and she turned around to walk away but he held her wrist tightly and pulled her back, so close that her back was against his chest. He put his hands to her forehead and smoothed her dripping hair away from her forehead and moved his hands to her neck and across her shoulders. As he did this he brushed her dress off of her shoulders slightly and Ame looked up to the skies.

"All of me belongs to you now," Gaara assured her, "and all of you belongs to me." He said and kissed her neck and shoulder. "Stop me if it isn't true," he whispered into her ear and was surprised when she smiled and moved down his body until she sat on the floor in front of him. Her back as to him and he was unsure of what it meant but didn't care anymore. He sat down behind her and turned her around, seeing in her eyes she wasn't scared anymore, he pushed her slightly so that she lay down. Her dark hair fell into the water of the spring and he watched as though mesmerised by its movement. Ame lifted a hand and wiped the hair away from Gaara's eyes; she moved up slowly and kissed the mark on his forehead. While she did Gaara reached around her to her back and untied the ribbon on the back of her dress. It fell open and she gasped slightly as she felt his hands against her bare back.

"I love you." She murmured and lay back down. Putting a hand to his neck she pulled him down to meet her lips. They stayed apart for a few moments.

"Do you?" He asked and she nodded; oceanic eyes locked with violet ones and there was such a certainty in them that both felt there was nothing more wonderful than this moment.

"More than anything." She said quietly and moved her hand from his neck to his hair. "And you?" She asked softly, Gaara teased her by staying quiet for a moment so she pulled his hair slightly and he winced before moving closer to her.

"There are no words, in any language, in any poem, in any form, that could possibly_, _show you that I love you even this much." he put his finger and thumb very close together, and she laughed. "If I were to say I love you with all my heart and soul; it would be meaningless, for it would not come close…" but a strange thing was happening, as he was talking, for the first time in many years, tears entered Gaara's eyes. This was because he wanted to tell her that the last time he had cried was the last time he'd loved someone, and he had lost them. How did he explain to her that without her life would be worthless? He looked her in the eye and found that the princess looking back simply

"Kaze," Ame said consolingly but for some reason she too blinked away tears. Both were consumed with a feeling of happiness that this moment had finally come to pass. Gaara put his forehead against hers and they closed their eyes; their tears mixing with the water of the spring and waterfall. By now words were completely useless and Gaara moved his hand along Ame's back smoothly to slip her dress of her shoulders. Neither knew very much what they were doing but this feeling, an intense desire to be as close as possible, to never let each other go, rose up inside of them. And in that cold wind, by the glistening spring, they burned.

* * *

**So…what did you think? **

**The last line seems really random so I hope you understood what I meant…if not just PM me and I'll explain…it's actually quite complicated. **

**I also apologise if I went too far- because people who know me know I don't do anything remotely lemonish. I just wanted to write something that someone, somewhere would think; **_**that is the most romantic thing I've ever read! **_**So that someone is me I'm guessing! **

**Review it, because people who review are the cat's pyjamas. **


	13. Heaven

**I have to let everyone know this, because it was so awesome! I was sat yesterday in the Natural History Musuem in London, drinking coffee with my parents, as you do. And this little kid, a three year old boy, with the BRIGHTEST red hair walked by and my mum was like, "look it's Markl!" (From Howl's moving castle) and I was like- "Nah, he's a baby Gaara." And he turned around and on his t-shirt was a picture of Gaara. Awww it was so adorable! And when he pointed at it so proudly it was SO CUTE! Ok, on with the fic!

* * *

**"How is it," Gaara asked quietly, "the books we read, the poetry we recite or the music we hear; all talk of things like the moon and stars as being something of wonderment and beauty, when you exist?" Almira smiled up at him. "How is it they haven't heard of you, when you put those things to shame?" He smoothed hair away from her face and she closed her eyes at his touch.

"If I am beautiful it's only because of you." She replied slowly; she was very tired, she had stayed awake all night and now the sun had fully risen. They were still in the spring, lying in the water, pushed up against each other and locked in embrace. Kaze stared down at his princess, dripping water from his eyelashes, nose and lips, onto her skin and watching her shiver as they ran down her body. He followed a droplet with his lips from her forehead to her neck and there he stopped and on her skin she felt his breath as he sighed. "What is it?" She asked with a smile as she ran a hand through his hair.

"Ame?" he whispered into her neck.

"Yes?" He heard a reply from above and moved away from her slowly. She stopped resting her head on the side of the spring and sat upright, looking at him slyly as he moved away with the look of a guilty child. "What is it?" She asked and she could see some conflict in his eyes; he had a secret.

"I have something to tell you." He said and she could tell it was incredibly serious. She nodded her head at him and began to listen. And as she listened, her smile faded, her brow furrowed, she covered her body from him with a towel, sat further away and almost cowered before him. For we know what he was saying, we know what she was listening to. Almira sat in ever-growing apprehension and listened to the horrible, twisted past that belonged to-

"Sabaku no Gaara?" She wasn't looking at him but he wanted so desperately not to see those eyes. The eyes that had stared at him with fear and hate since he was a child; he didn't think he could handle that look from her. Her eyes danced, flicking around the water in front of her, trying to understand what was going on. "You lied." Was all she said and as he moved forwards she held up a hand to stop him from coming closer and he obliged, waiting cautiously on the edge of exploding, telling her he was sorry, that he loved her too much but he remained silent; Ame, he knew, would make up her own mind. She shivered as the morning air grew cold from the slight breeze that cut through the warm air that hovered above the spring. "You are a…Jinchuuriki?" She said and Gaara found it difficult to make out the tone of her voice; was it anger or sadness?

"Yes." He said slowly, still unaware of what her reaction was.

"You cannot sleep?"

"Yes."

"So the other night, I fell asleep and woke up to find myself holding you," she brushed hair roughly from her face and cast a glance upwards before looking down quickly, "you were awake." It wasn't a question this time and Gaara did not know what to say. Almira finally looked up at him before jumping into the water again, still with her towel on her and shouting at him; "you pervert!" He barely had time to react when he felt the princess' hand push down on his head and force him under the water. He emerged a moment later, gasping for breath before he felt himself entangled in her embrace once more. He rested his head against her shoulder and breathed deeply; wondering what the hell had happened.

"I've heard of you," he heard her whisper, "how they hated you, feared you, isolated you." She muttered almost to herself, "and yet I have grown to love you-"

"Trust me," he gasped and looked up to her, "I've changed." Her violet eyes flashed down to him and she pulled him by his shoulders to stand straight and look her in the eyes. There was an almost harsh scrutiny in those violet pools but as she saw the innocent, almost pleading look in his eyes her own ones softened.

"The night in the tavern," she said quickly, "you became angry; I could sense something else there with us." She looked down, trying to think of how to explain without upsetting him, "you were close to hurting me-"

"_Don't_," Gaara said suddenly, angrily and sharp in a way that scared the princess, "_ever _think I will hurt you." He rasped and she knew that this strange anger was merely a sign of his love for her. "I have never been loved by _anyone._" His voice quivered and at the corner of his eyes tears shone like diamonds, "I won't lose you to my reckless old self; I have learnt to control my Biju." Almira blushed at her judgment of him and he continued. "You are worth more than even my own life…" he was quietened as Ame put a finger to his lips and proceeded to trace their outline.

"How is it," she asked; remembering what he had said little under an hour ago, "people call you a monster, when you are the most wonderful thing that has ever happened to me?" She asked and she could see, hidden deep in the depth of his opal eyes; the frightened child-Gaara that still haunted him that ran through his past searching for someone to hold on to. "Gaara," she said his name, his real name, and on her lips he had to admit it sounded good.

"Yes?" He asked, still with those crystal tears that had formed over the years. She put her hands on either side of his face and looked him straight in the eye.

"I was going to tell my parents I had fallen for a rogue, now I have to tell them this?!" She shouted and he lowered his gaze ashamedly. She pulled his face back up to meet her eyes, "how could I possibly, even begin to explain to _anyone _how much I love you?" She said and he smiled, moved his face into her hand and kissed her palm.

"You are not mad," he asked, his voice muffled by her hand, "upset?"

"A little disappointed in you for not telling me," she said and kissed his cheek, "but no demon could have such an angelic face." She whispered to him and having her so close to him again made him want to show her again how much she meant to-

"OI!" They heard a shout from outside the wall of the spring and Ame jumped into Kaze…sorry, Gaara's embrace. "It's been a good few hours and this lantern's been lit!" They shouted but Ame and Gaara were not listening but fighting in the water; it was a struggling with just a towel between them. "ARE YOU COMING OUT OR WHAT?!" The person yelled and Ame let out a small shout as Gaara tried to pull the towel from her body.

"Just give us a few hours." Gaara shouted back and Ame laughed as she swam away from him.

"HOURS?! ARE YOU HAVING A…" and so abuse was shouted at them from behind the wall and before Ame could leave the spring Gaara pinned her to the side and turned her around.

"Hours?" Ame repeated slightly breathlessly as Gaara bit his lip, "what exactly did you have in mind?" And so he leant forwards and whispered to her of his plans and slowly the princess' eyes grew wider, her breath deepened and she moved closer to him. When he had finished explaining he laughed at the impressed look on Almira's face. She turned to the wall, "give us a few days!" She shouted and laughed as Gaara pulled her into the shadows of the waterfall.

* * *

"You certainly are happy," Mamoru commented as Gaara handed him a plate of food that had been sent from the kitchens to the head of the village for his lunch.

"Why should I not be?" Gaara asked in return and as he thought about it he realised this was the happiest he'd ever been in his life. "It is a wonderful day," he gestured towards the window and the sunbeams that poured through like gold, "and your village is a wonderful place to be." The young man said and Mamoru raised an eyebrow but he looked more impressed than anything else.

"I see my advice worked well for you?" He said and Gaara stopped in his investigations as to what the books were on Mamoru's desk.

"Yes," Gaara said, blushing slightly.

"Really well," Mamoru laughed, "considering the smile on your face, the colour in your cheeks and the fact that you were at the spring for just over six hours." Gaara's face turned the same colour as his hair. They were stood in Mamoru's study, a place ridden with so many books that they were stacked in ridiculously high piled around the room. Maps of the kingdom lay spread across every surface available, random furniture scattered the room and the dust was so thick in some parts that Gaara thought they had put carpet on the wooden floor. Mamoru's booming laughed echoed around the room and he patted Gaara on the back so fiercely Gaara's knees almost buckled. "And I'm supposing she was not reluctant?" This was not the kind of conversation Gaara expected to have with a man of Mamoru's age and so kept his mouth tight shut. "Don't worry, Ame will be getting the same treatment from the women." The old man assured him, "now boy, I wish to discuss something else with you." Gaara stopped blushing and looked up to Mamoru.

"What is it?" He asked as the man indicated for him to sit opposite and he obliged. It turned out not to be of anything to do with what Gaara had thought; Mamoru wished to talk of the village's plans for building a school and if Kaze knew of any idea to make this happen. Eventually, after listening arduously to Mamoru, Gaara's mind began to wonder of what treatment Ame was receiving from the women. A thin smile spread on his face.

* * *

"You certainly are happy!" Uta said cheerfully as she passed Ame a plate of fruit to cut. Ame, who was eating some of the fruit, almost choked a response. A passing woman thumped her on the back and Ame swallowed properly before smiling gratefully.

"There is much to be happy about." The princess replied but Uta had seen the look on Ame's face so many times; it was a face she often had when she emerged from her first few secret meetings with Mamoru.

"Is there?" Hisa said and Ame could hear there was some scorn in her voice. The princess looked at the girl who was sat opposite; legs crossed on a lower bench, cutting fruit as though it had personally insulted her. Ame nodded slowly; her eyes kept stuck on the fruit in Hisa's hand and the blade that sliced through the flesh of the blood-red watermelon viciously.

"I am here with wonderful company," Ame gestured to the women around and Uta laughed.

"And I suppose the fact that both you and Kaze sneaked back into your room an hour ago has nothing to do with it?" Ame dropped her knife and heard a similar clatter come from opposite her. She looked to Hisa who had the same look on her face that Ame did and it basically said-

"What?" Hisa hissed at her mother who smiled and did not look and the girls as she continued to knead the dough she had made. Hisa stood slowly and Ame leant backwards in her chair slightly; she didn't want to be too close to either of the women right now and her face turned scarlet as Uta leaned in to her and whispered loud enough for everyone to hear.

"This is the place where women discuss what love is like," she leant in a little closer, "_you know the way I mean?" _Ame wanted to disappear as soon as Uta winked at her; she had never felt so embarrassed in her life, it was awful, she knew everyone was listening and she didn't even want to glance at Hisa. "Oh, Ame," Uta said exasperatedly as the girl kept her mouth shut, "you don't think we women don't know that look, that glow? Believe it or not I had that look for days when I was your age-"

"Mother!" Hisa said and put her hands on her ears; not wanting to hear her mother speak of things like that.

"Tell me," Uta said and even the women pretending not to listen began to gather around the slowly shrinking Ame. "What he was like?"

"Was he romantic?" One woman asked and Ame jumped as she had spoken so suddenly.

"Was he charming?" Another called and eventually all the women were demanding adjectives, some even went for similes. Ame had to calm them all down with a few shouts and arm gestures to get their attention. They quietened to listen to her and Hisa stood on the edge of the chaos; debating whether to listen or not.

"Imagine heaven." Ame said after a moment, "imagine a place where everything is beautiful, wonderful and exciting. Where there are no worries or evil, just you and your beloved. Imagine a place where nothing is impossible and the very ground is a dazzling pathway of diamonds." The women tried hard to imagine, their eyes softened as such a thought and Ame stood up, walked to the window and pointed to the distance. "Imagine that there was no _you _anymore, simply a wave of unimaginable colours, twinkling in the night sky." She lowered her hand and turned around to the women before her, "have you got it?" She asked with a small smile as she could see from their eyes, sighs and misted faces that they were in that very place; heaven.

"Yes." They all said with small smiled which faded as Ame shook her head and looked up at them.

"You're still not even close."

* * *

"It has been a pleasure," Mamoru announced, "to have the two of you in our village!" Ame and Kaze smiled at him but Ame's smile faded as she felt Gaara's hand drawling up her back. She cast a quick glance up at him and he looked down as though nothing was wrong.

"Thank you so much for letting us stay here," Ame said and Gaara nodded his thanks.

"If you ever need a favour..." But Gaara stopped talking as Mamoru and Uta moved forwards so that their conversation would not be heard by the rest of the gathered crowd. The old man beckoned Ame and Gaara closer and they leant in to hear his whisper.

"You can do us a favour," he said gruffly and put a hand on Ame's shoulder, "love him always." He said and Ame looked him in the eye and was surprised to see small tears entering the man's eyes.

"Always." Ame nodded and smiled at Gaara who blushed. Uta put a hand on Gaara's shoulder and he looked at her quickly.

"Never lose her." Was all she said and he nodded firmly.

"I will _never _lose her, or let her fall, or hurt her; don't you worry." Ame bowed her head as he spoke and Uta and Mamoru both wiped their eyes, just why they were crying neither Gaara nor Ame knew, but they did know that they would remember this place forever for it was at this place they truly found one another.

"Good," Mamoru said with as much dignity as the man could muster after tears had escaped his eyes. "At least we now our princess will be looked after," Ame and Gaara, who had turned to leave, stopped in their tracks and, horrified, turned back. "You didn't think we knew?" Mamoru laughed and Ame and Gaara shook their heads.

"Your secret is safe with us," Uta called, "good luck!" And with that Gara and Ame walked out of the village and it took a moment for Gaara to realise he could slip his hand through hers.

"We're just under a day away from Jin's place," He said quietly and she nodded. "Are you sure you can tell them?" She looked at him harshly and he smiled. "Of course you can." He said with a nod and kissed her neck. "You know," he said conversationally as they walked, "there's no one around," Ame laughed.

"You're not serious," Ame said and her smile faded as she looked at his completely straight face.

"I have never been more serious about anything." He said and she laughed.

"No," she said and moved away from him as a hand reached out for her, "no," she said more adamantly and stopped walking. He too stopped and she could see on his face that he was determined to break her; that her stubbornness would get her nowhere for she belonged to him now. A lustrous, dark intent flowed from him as his eyes narrowed on her and she shook her head before waving at him and running away.

"Hey!" He shouted before running after her into the wilderness before them. They ran through their journey, barely paying attention to anything around them for they were all each other could see. They ran without looking to where they were going; to tell her parents their little princess had chosen a shinobi over everyone else. And her parents would accept, for who could deny the good, polite, pretty princess Almira? Who could deny a love as pure and wonderful as this that they were experiencing? No one.

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**But that's such a lie...c'mon, it's Valentine writing this. Never gonna happen- a happy ending. **

**But if you want to believe it, why not REVIEW too? **

**I'm such a review-hog; it's not like on youtube where if you get enough subscribers you get featured etc. so why do I bother on . I think it's just nice to know people care :)  
**


	14. For the King

"What is it?" Ame asked Gaara suddenly; he had stopped walking and she'd bumped into him. They were almost about to come out of the woods and step into the land owned by Jin's family. They could see the house in the clearing of the wood, at least a few hundred meters away from them and yet they waited, peering through the low branches of the trees, in between the green leaves and white flowers. Gaara cocked his head back to her and sighed, blowing some of the honey-like fragrance away from the flowers as he did so. "What?" She repeated.

"You told Jin you loved him." He said plainly and Ame blushed, unsure of what to say. "And now?" It was strange how in that one question they switched positions entirely: a moment before Gaara had been quietly annoyed and Ame had been scared but now Ame was fuming and Gaara almost cowered under her glare.

"How could you even _suggest _that I still love him?" She shook her head and put a hand on his shoulder to reassure him, "I love you, only you." He nodded slowly.

"You can tell them that?" There was a moment of silence between them when they could only hear the sound of birdsong a little way away.

"Yes." She said firmly even though, deep down, she didn't know if she could. But when Gaara looked at her with the familiar, innocent-eyed look and slight pout, she knew she could tell the world. "Well, let's go." She encouraged him with a slight push and he took a weary step forwards. They walked towards the house, with each step a sense of dread filled them, but as they came even closer Ame began to feel at home and Gaara saw her face light up as they stepped into the mansion's shadow. The mansion dominated the landscape but beyond it they could see the beginnings of the edge of a town. A gravel path led up to the great wooden doors and on either side of the path a garden lined with white and purple flowers and, just like in Ame's palace, animals ran about the greens. "Look!" Ame pointed to the side and ran off before Gaara did have time to look. He watched her run to the middle of the grass and sit down; he stopped and watched. A small smile spread on his face as she turned to him. He laughed as he saw a small white rabbit was in her arms. She bit her lip and looked up at him; "aren't they cute?" She giggled and he walked over, as he did a peacock wandered towards them, wondering what they were gathering for.

"Ame," he said seriously, trying not to laugh as she "awww-ed" at the animal in her arms, "you know this…this lifestyle, is something you are going to give up for choosing me." She looked up at him and he saw, for the first time, some indecision in her eyes but then they softened.

"I know." She whispered and Gaara leant forwards to kiss her but the doors of the mansion banged open and they both jumped and looked around quickly. "Mother?" Ame handed the rabbit to Gaara who took it without looking for they were both staring at the marble steps as Ame's mother walked down with open arms.

"Ame!" her mother shouted to her and Ame, still slightly dazed, walked forwards into her mother's arms. "Oh, we missed you terribly!" Gaara looked down to his arms and jumped as he realised he was still holding the rabbit, he put it down quickly because, looking over Ame's shoulder, the queen beckoned him closer. As he reached them he bowed to her but had hardly any time to stand up again for the queen grabbed the collar of his shirt and pulled him into embrace as well.

"Maysun," they heard a weary voice mutter and at the sound of her name the queen let go of them both, held them at arms length and inspected them both. Looking behind her, Gaara and Ame could see the King stood with all six of Ame's sisters, on the marble steps. "Maysun, let them go." He said again for he knew his wife; she'd hold onto them both forever if she could. Gaara bowed to the royal family as Ame walked forwards to her sisters.

"Hi!" They all greeted her with waves and smiles and Ame held her hand up to wave as they walked forwards, but her smile faded as they passed her and walked to Kaze. She turned, open-mouthed to Gaara as he greeted the princesses in his usual, careless way and they sighed as he spoke. Ame rolled her eyes but jumped as a hand landed on her shoulder.

"Father," she said and turned to embrace him and there was something odd, some form of melancholy lingered around them as she noticed her father held on tighter and longer than he'd ever done before. In fact, when she drew away she saw there was some sadness in his eyes, "father, what are you all-"

"Ame," her father said quietly and she stopped speaking to listen for it was difficult to hear over the shrieks from her sisters. "This is Jin's father, you have met one of my councillors, Ghassan?" He gestured to the doorway and Ame bowed as a man, short, with greying hair and green eyes, bowed to her. Next to him was a woman, she was stunning, completely different to her husband who was ageing every moment, she was still youthful and elegant. "And Jin's mother, Hasna." The woman did not bow but inclined her head slightly and Ame realised that the elegance she had was similar to that which Jin had; both aware of their beauty but doing nothing to show themselves to everyone.

"Welcome," Ghassan said and Ame looked from her father to him as they shared a meaningful glance. "My son," he said slightly desperately, "is on an errand for me, he shall be back later." Ame nodded, still slightly too surprised to say anything; there was definitely something strange going on for her parents came and stood on either side of her and looked over to Jin's parents expectedly.

"I shall tell the house to prepare for dinner." Hasna said and looked to Ame's mother who nodded and went to leave. Before she walked into the house she turned and hugged Ame who was just getting more nervous.

"And I shall return to my study," Ghassan muttered and Ame expected her father to follow and leave her with her sisters but he held tightly to her arm so she could not move. Ghassan left with that familiar look of _"good luck," _to Ame that her mother and given her. Ame looked over to her sisters, the group in which Gaara was stood, looking over to her with a familiar expression of bewilderment. She shrugged at him to show she had no idea what was happening, why everyone was acting so strange.

"Ame, will you walk with me?" Her father asked and Ame nodded.

"Of course father." She said and smiled grudgingly. She glanced back to Gaara who was peering around her sisters to see her but as they locked eyes he could see something was up. Something bad.

* * *

Ame and her father walked in silence through the grounds of Jin's house. It was indeed as beautiful as Almira had first guessed; they were walking on a path that lined the gardens behind the mansion. A marble path with stone archways and flowers of ivory and pink climbed and twisted their way up the stone pillars and light streamed through their petals. Ame couldn't help but smile, it was a wonderful day, and she was able to finally remove her cloak and walk freely in her dress. Her father noticed her excitement and nodded wisely. They stopped and Ame reached out to touch the soft, silken petal of a pink flower but as she touched it the flower fell from its branch and floated down to her. Before she could catch it her father held out his hand, caught the flower tightly in his fist and unfurled his hand to show it was untouched, he then proceeded to place it behind Ame's ear and she laughed.

"Ame," he said in his ageing, softening voice and she smiled at him broadly. "You know, I have something important I wish to discuss with you?" before she could even attempt an answer he was talking again, "but first I wish to tell you how proud I am of you." He cleared his throat as that uneasy feeling rose up inside of Almira once more. "You have turned into quite a wonderful princess," she tried to smile and nod but no reaction was coming from her; was he going to cry? "And I want you to know that I _know." _He said the last word as though she should have some clue as to what he was talking about but she had none. "You two have travelled to this place together," he said pointedly and Ame's jaw dropped; he was talking about Gaara! "And since the moment you met, before my eyes at least," he smiled a little, "I have seen what has grown between you. I let you travel to this place alone but now, I, and your mother and sisters, wish to know." Ame blushed; he couldn't really be saying what she thought he was saying? "You love him very much?" He asked and she looked down.

"Very much so, yes." She replied bashfully.

"Then," her father bowed to her so their faces were level, he looked her in the eye, "there is a time in a girl's life where she does something great for both her family and her kingdom." Oh, he was giving her the talk she thought she wouldn't hear for a few years. "You have made us proud and by doing this you have made us even prouder-"

"But father," she said quickly; she had to get this out in the open, "is this really alright? I am of royalty and he-"

"Is not," her father waved her worries away with a hand, "what does it matter when you are in love?" Ame looked up and her father laughed as he saw how happy she was. "You will do this." Her father said, to her surprise, rather sternly, "not for your father. But for your king." He was talking seriously now; Ame knew marriage in royal families was usually out of a desire to expand their kingdom, very rarely was it for love. "Your kingdom depends on you." She nodded.

"I declare it," she said softly, "I shall marry him." She laughed as her father embraced her; this couldn't really be happening could it?

"Thank you," her father said into her hair, "Jin is worthy of your love." Ame broke the embrace sharply and took a step back, shaking her head.

"Did you say-" But she was cut off as the doors at the end of the walkway opened to reveal the two families, hers and Jin's, dressed as though attending a royal event. They all greeted her with laughter and cheering, in the corner her mother wiped a tear from her eye and in the centre of the room stood Jin. A delighted smile painted his face and his eyes were brighter than she had ever seen. And behind him, she glanced, in the shadows of the celebrations, a mess of red hair and aqua eyes glinting through the darkness to her.

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**Reviews appreciated!**


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